Fruits Basket Goes Wonderland?
by SymmetricalGirl8DeathTheKid
Summary: Tohru mistakenly follows a Zodiac rabbit down a hole, taking her to the strange world of Wonderland. Being recognised from the prophecy, she is thrown into the middle of the Zodiac's problems which must be completed in order to restore Wonderland and return home. But no one said winning a croquet game was easy. Lightly based off Lewis-Carroll's: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
1. No Daisies, Just A Rabbit

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

**Summary: **Tohru mistakenly follows a Zodiac rabbit down a hole, taking her to the strange world of Wonderland. Being recognised from the prophecy, she is thrown into the middle of the Zodiac's problems which must be completed in order to restore Wonderland and return home. But no one said winning a croquet game was easy. Lightly based off Lewis-Carroll's: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. OFF WITH HER HEAD!

**Note:** These chapters will be told in 100-600 words as they are drabbles. If you are not interested in this type of story then flee now!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: No Daisies, Just A Rabbit<strong>

Tohru sat uncomfortably on the damp bank beside the river, feeling the water soak through her pale summer dress. She glanced curiously at the girl sitting a few metres away, her face hidden by the large binding of a book which she had acquired from school.

Despite the cold dampness seeping through the fabric of her dress Tohru kept a warm smile on her face, stretching her rosy cheeks as she watched Kisa read. She had wanted so desperately to start a conversation with the girl who was immersed in her book, but seeing it as a possible homework assignment Tohru had kept quiet, not wanting to snap the tiger from her musing.

She had even peeked at the inked pages a few times, hoping to find some pictures to stare at to pass the time. But all she had seen were paragraphs upon paragraphs of writing. Yes, she had been surprised at first with Kisa being so young, it was unusual for a girl her age to be given a book with no pictures.

And as her eyes drifted to the river, her thoughts ran wild in search of something to occupy her with until Yuki and Kyo returned. Maybe a daisy chain would suffice? But finding enough daisies would be bothersome and she didn't want to disrupt Kisa's reading in search of the peculiar flowers. It would be more pleasurable to soak in the sun's rays.

Tohru sighed lightly, focusing her eyes back on the water. She jumped as a loud _thump_ caught her attention on the other side of the bank, watching as a white rabbit emerged from the bush in a hurry. But what surprised her the most was what it did next.

"Oh dear! Oh dear! I'm going to be late!" It cried.

The rabbit had _spoke_.

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><p><strong>Posting date: <strong>14th May 2014

**Words: **304

**Symm: **Hey, how's everyone been? I've decided that the easiest way for me to re-edit my stories is to take them all down and change each chapter entirely. I was hoping to have finished the edits by now, but my exams have been taking a lot of time with the typical revising and such ;)

So this is the first edited chapter of **'Fruits Basket Goes Wonderland?'**; I'm doing one story at a time and have actually deleted **Baby's Galore** because when I tried to edit it I just couldn't comprehend what changes make. The story didn't make much sense and instead of spending a long time _trying_ to fix in a plot, I thought it would be better to delete it. So I apologize to those who spent their time reading and reviewing that one :(

Look forward to the next update!


	2. Strange Happenings

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Strange Happenings<strong>

Tohru blinked. It wasn't possible. Rabbits couldn't talk, let alone carry a pocket watch. "What an earth just happened..." she muttered staring after the rabbit covered in fabric.

Kisa looked up from her book at the interruption. "What's wrong?" her face contorted into a frown as she gazed at the older girl in confusion.

"Late for what?" Tohru pondered, not hearing Kisa's question.

The tiger put down her book and shuffled closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Tohru?"

"Hm-?"

"What's wrong?" Kisa asked again, perching beside her on the bank. "I heard you say something."

Tohru's eyes littered on the empty bank, wondering whether the rabbit was real or just a simple glimpse of her imagination. She had watched frozen from her spot as the rabbit hopped across the grass in a flash of white and black, disappearing into the edge of the forest. Had it really spoken?

"Tohru!" Kisa gripped her shoulders and gave her a rough shake, wanting to snap her from her thoughts. "Are you OK? Tohru?" she waved her hand in front of her face to get a reaction- something to indicate that she was awake.

Only Zodiac animals can talk. And wasn't Momiji white? Tohru blinked. "Ah, sorry Kisa," she apologized, gazing at the water in thought. Burning with curiosity she unclasped her sandals in one swift yank, "I'll be right back!" she ran through the river with bare feet, scrambling up the bank to chase after the familiar rabbit. The tiger didn't have time to react.

Kisa watched the girl depart with a leap through the trees, her mouth agape. "...'S-Sissy?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 14th May 2014

**Words:** 279

**Symm:** I have a Chemistry exam tomorrow morning. I've only read through my notes twice and can't seem to remember a thing. Plus the chairs in the exam hall are really uncomfortable after sitting on them for a while. My legs went numb after an hour during the R.E exam. Wish me luck, 'cos I'm gonna need it! Thanks for reading ;)


	3. Down The Rabbit Hole

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Down the Rabbit Hole<strong>

Tohru ran through the thickening trees in search of the rabbit, looking high and low for a glimpse of its tail. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

Repressing her guilt Tohru ducked below a bundle of hanging trees, stumbling over a upturned root. "Momiji?" she called, seeing nothing but leaves and shrub. She hadn't realised how far the rabbit had gone- disappearing without a trace. Tohru called out to him again, feeling her foot dip down.

She edged closer, her eyes lingering on the unnatural bump. "What happened here?" she whispered, moving into a crouch. A dark hole reflected back at her widening to the height of a medium-sized stool. An earthquake?

Looking around for more clues Tohru glanced at the trees, not finding a single one out of place. If there had been an earthquake then the trees would have had at least a loose branch or cracked trunk. But there was no vivid sign. Perhaps it wasn't a natural one.

"...Am I dreaming," she pondered, "or am I just delusional," she twirled her finger through a loose strand of hair, tugging nervously at the ends. Tohru stood and took a precautionary step towards the hole, hovering her foot over the edge. "If this is a dream, then this shouldn't hurt at all."

She jumped.

Down she fell, lodging a silent scream in her throat as her stomach took a sudden lurch. She fell and fell waiting for the dream to end so she could wake up. It didn't happen quick enough. Time seemed to slow as she realised that there was to be _no_ end. And with that, the panic dispersed from her mind.

She peeked through the gaps in her fingers to find herself floating. Her brown hair flowed effortlessly behind and her dress bunched up at her thighs, allowing a cool breeze to brush against her.

Her hand knocked against a wooden bookshelf, bringing forth the confusion in her eyes. Why would there be a bookshelf down a hole? Her sleeve snagged against one of the grubby jars situated on the shelf. "Orange Marmalade?" the words tumbled from her mouth, recognising the coloured tub. Her brows knitted together, loosening her hold on the jar.

Her fingers uncurled from the glass and she watched it float above aimlessly- the gravity had no effect. Wiping the smudge of grease from her hand Tohru whispered, "What a strange dream this is," before tumbling further down.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 15th May 2014

**Words:** 413

**Symm: **The time has dragged today. My Chemistry exam was easier than I thought it would be, but there didn't seem to be many people present at all. Over here, if you miss an exam you have to pay for the charges of the pass paper :/ It's slightly unfair but also teaches you not to skip out!

Thanks for the review **anomuyous**, here's the next update ;) I don't have a specific plan on when I update, although there might be another chapter or two up later on. It depends on how fast I edit XD


	4. Cats and Bats

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Cats and Bats<strong>

The cool breeze had grown unsettling and caused more fright than calm. Each gust felt tense, creating pin-prickling bumps on her skin. Her legs had received the worse of it.

Tohru's lips quivered as the darkness overtook her surroundings; the light had been shut out. "...It's so lonely," her voice quietened into a whisper at the thought of falling for eternity. "F-For all I know, I could be falling towards the centre of the earth."

The fall wouldn't be so bad if she weren't so alone. Thinking about it, where had Momiji scurried off to? She couldn't see him with such poor lighting, not that she was gifted with good sight. Yuki would make a good companion, he's kind and helpful. "Kyo, however..." Tohru's cheeks flushed at the thought of him.

"But I would only be a burden to him," she sighed, crossing her arms while she fell. "I'd probably end up falling over my own feet and he'd catch me just to save my feelings. Then he'd be stuck as a cat and would have to eat mice!" she exclaimed, believing it could happen- although it was a low chance. "But on that subject, there are no mice in the sky." She glanced around. "Would a bat do?"

She didn't feel her body tumble forward for she was too deep in her thoughts. Her legs came up as she titled down, slowly spinning through an unnatural somersault with her legs and torso straight. It was like flipping a pencil.

"But would Kyo eat a bat? I've never seen a cat eat a bat. They're almost like a mouse, except with wings." She mused, doing another flip. An image crossed her mind, replaying the moment of Kyo reacting to the sight of a leek. There's no way he would eat a leek, not after that. Let alone a bat. He was so flustered and angry, just adorable! "N-No!" she suddenly slapped her cheeks, halting her twist with widened eyes. "S-Stop it Tohru, no inappropriate thoughts!" she scolded herself.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 15th May 2014

**Words:** 394

**Symm:** So I decided to update another chapter. Hope you enjoyed!

_A quick note:_ This story is based off Lewis-Carrol's famous book, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. I have taken most of the context from the book and have twisted it to suit the Fruits Basket anime. It's all in my own words- except for any famous sayings or poems from the book. :)


	5. Thump!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Thump!<strong>

_Thump! Thump! Thump!_

Tohru landed with a jolt.

She winced as a numb feeling crept along her back, dotting the skin with a tingling sting. "How did I survive such a long fall?" she looked up with a gasp, finding something completely different.

The hole had gone, taking the floating bookshelf and jars with it. In its place stood a ceiling smudged with dirt, looking similar to the roof of a rabbits burrow. She hauled herself up feeling the rough texture of the heap of sticks and leaves snap underfoot. Oh, how she wished she'd kept her shoes.

Averting her eyes Tohru came upon a different sight entirely. "M-Momiji?"

The rabbit stared back warily, patting down his black waistcoat as he stood on his hind legs. His paws dipped into the bulky pocket situated near his chest, fishing out a golden pocket watch. "Ahh!" he cried looking at the time. "It's getting even more late!"

Tohru paced forward, reaching out a hand. "Wait, Momiji, what are you late for? Where are we-?"

"Sorry, Tohru. I'm late! There's no time to explain!" he slung his watch back into his pocket before jumping off, hopping down the hall with amazing speed.

"A-Ah, wait!" Tohru raced after him, slipping along the muddy tunnel. She hurried after the boy as he curved around a corner, creating a further gap between them. Her feet slapped against the earth with determination as she ran past a row of oddly coloured lamps lined up in curled patterns of eight.

Another sharp turn took her to a room filled with doors.

Her eyes caught the swift blur of white as it shot past her vision, disappearing through a tiny red door that stood only six inches high. "W-Wait!" she rasped, collapsing to her knees as a curtain fell over the door, covering it with pink.

She frowned, blinking her eyes a few times to stop the unshed tears from falling. She reached out a hand, gently drawing back the curtain. "I-I'm too tall."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 17th May 2014

**Words:** 344

**Symm:** Here's another update! Hope you enjoyed because there are a few more chapters being uploaded today ;) Please review if possible, I would appreciate the feedback from you hidden readers.

Thanks for the Favourite & Follow **LittleMissWolfie**, it means a lot!


	6. Hidden Door

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Hidden Door<strong>

At this point in time Tohru wished she had been born one of the twelve Zodiac. In animal form she'd be able to fit through the door easily, but she was human. Just your _average_, normal, humane being. She was nothing special.

Soaking up her tears Tohru pushed herself to her feet, looking around the room for another way out.

Her eyes drifted to the doors that covered the walls like wallpaper, each a variety of shape and colour, and a three-legged table made from solid glass stood in the centre of the room.

Reaching the first door Tohru placed a hand on the silver handle, pulling it down. The handle stopped halfway. She put more force into the second pull but the door wouldn't budge. "Locked," she whispered turning to the next door.

This one was also locked.

She tried door after door, coming to the same conclusion each time when she tried to pull the handle. "Why won't they open?" she panicked, confusion creasing her face. "I don't want to be stuck here forever," she whimpered before slumping against the table. Her head fell back in despair at the thought of being here for eternity, never waking up from this so-called dream. She closed her eyes.

Would she never see her friends again? See the Zodiac?

_Don't give up, _a voice whispered, sending a streak of courage her way. It seeped through her bones and seemed to wake the dormant feeling hidden inside her. She wouldn't let it go, not like this. Her eyes opened and roamed over the earth-covered roof, spotting another door wedged between the dirt. _A way out?_ she thought.

She removed the frail plant pot from the centre of the table before clambering over the slippery surface of glass, hastily reaching for the white doorknob. Her legs tensed to keep her balance; she grabbed onto the handle.

She felt it as she pulled the handle- that this door would be different. She knew it, because unlike all the other doors, this one didn't jolt.

It opened.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 17th May 2014

**Words:** 352

**Symm:** Has anyone read _T__he_ _Infernal Devices_ by Cassandra Clare? You know, the author who wrote _The Mortal Instruments_? Well, if you haven't then I really recommend them. They're really good and take on a different side to the main series she's currently finishing. Some of the minor characters mentioned in the Mortal Instruments are written about in further detail in these and you get to understand their part in the future Shadowhunters.


	7. Confetti

**Disclaimer****:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Confetti<strong>

Her suspicions had been correct.

The door flung open, almost taking her head off with the unexpected drop of the handle. She stared into the dark entrance wondering whether it was the right route to take. It didn't look safe at all which only irked her. She couldn't even climb inside.

But even if she did reach it somehow, gravity wouldn't allow her to go any higher.

Tohru sighed, risking another glance up. Her view was clouded by a piece of coloured paper, covering her eyes with blue. Frowning she pulled the tiny square of paper from her face, running her fingers along the surface. It was soft. "What is-?"

Her question was trampled as a swarm of similar paper fell from the opening in the door, covering her from head to toe. Confetti?

"That's strange," the girl shook her head, spitting out the paper from her mouth. It didn't taste as nice as it looked. It began to itch her skin, causing an irritating numbness on the tips of her ears.

She raked her hands through her hair to rid of the confetti, only to acquire more as another bunch dropped from above. Tohru tried her best to ignore it but couldn't resolve the blotches on her irritated skin, sending prickles of pain along her arms and neck. She slowly lowered herself into a crouch before dropping off the table, brushing off another cluster of paper.

As her feet touched the ground a short _clank_ caught her attention.

She turned towards the noise, finding a clump of confetti sitting on the glass. She stared, knowing the paper was too light to make such a heavy sound. She brushed away the sticky layer, her fingers curling around a spot of gold moulded into a shape.

She brought the object closer, suddenly seeing what it was. "This is the tiniest key I have ever seen!" she gasped, loosening her hold a little. It looked too frail, feeling weightless in her palm. "...This wouldn't happen to fit the door, would it?" she pondered, referring to the smaller door hidden behind the curtain.

Rushing back over Tohru lifted the curtain once again before carefully slotting the key into the lock. "It fits!" she smiled, rolling her finger over the handle and pulling it open.

A small light filled the entryway, leaving Tohru to bend down to see what was inside. She closed her right eye, focusing with the left to peer through the crack. On the other side of the door sat rows and rows of flowers, some she had never seen before. "There are so many! Mum would have loved this, it's so pretty."

And so she sat there for a while, taking in the beautiful scenery as her thoughts ran into flashbacks, remembering the precious time she spent with her mother in their own garden. Her mother had adored their pots of lilies and daisies, tending to them as often as she could before she had passed. She couldn't imagine a more peaceful place.

Tohru was lost in thought, so deeply occupied that her mind didn't register the continuing fall of the coloured paper as it acted like a never-ending shower of rain, covering the floor and everything in it.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 17th May 2014

**Words: **550

**Symm:** So instead of Tohru (_Alice_) eating the magical cake, growing, and then crying over the concept of being too big for the door, I decided to keep her a normal size for now. In the actual book her tears would be so big that they'd act like hailstones hitting the floor, creating a rising puddle of water. I changed that factor (since I didn't want Tohru to grow too big) and used confetti instead! It's a happier solution, heh. Instead of drowning in her own tears, she'll be drowning in confetti. _Don't give me that look, you know this is part of the story with the talking door and such!_ But hey, at least it's colourful.


	8. Never 'Drink Me'

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: Never 'Drink Me'<strong>

A heavy feeling weighed down on her shoulders, pulling her from her daze. "Ah, what-?" she leant back, sending a flurry of paper from her back to floor. She looked around in astonishment. The floor was covered with the stuff.

Tohru glanced back at the door and had to stop herself from panicking. The confetti hadn't only covered the floor but the entire entrance of the exit! How was she to supposed to escape if the paper blocked her way?

She stumbled back, her foot knocking against something.

Tohru bent down, reaching behind her foot to uncover the object. Her eyes ran over the slender neck of a bottle, inspecting its cloudy frame. A label sat securely around its neck; two black words etched into the parchment. "_'Drink Me'_?" she read aloud, turning it over.

Her mother had taught her to never touch anything left lying around. It was common sense. Who knows what could have happened to it? It's left behind for a reason, a reason that only the previous owner would know of. It could have been drugged for all she knew.

But what was a girl to do in such a dire situation? She could either drown in paper or risk her health and drink the goddamn thing. She didn't have time to think it through.

So going against her mother's wise words Tohru threw her head back and swallowed the whole thing.

A stream of the thick liquid slopped down her chin, leaving a sickly red stain on her dress. Her hand shook, dropping the bottle from her clutches as she watched it roll across the ground, covering itself with sticky confetti as the rain continued down. Her stomach recoiled at the taste, not liking it at all. She felt the bile rise up before she spewed the contents across the floor, her face pale and white. "I-I'm sorry, Mum." Tohru whimpered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

She looked away from the contents of her stomach, covering her nose. She didn't want to be sick again. The smell was too overpowering.

Tohru edged back, feeling a cold sweat break out on her forehead. Her breathing became laboured, catching in short raspy breaths as she clutched her throat, sucking in the oxygen greedily. Her eyes bulged at the unnatural feeling as it overtook her system, forcing her on her back. "H-Heeel-lp..!" she choked.

She closed her eyes in a panic, feeling on the edge of her deathbed as she tried to calm her breathing. After a few long miserable attempts, Tohru finally calmed down as the dreadful feeling passed from her system.

She looked around in a daze, her posture relaxing at the numb feeling. She sat up with a sigh, glad that the experience was over. She had never been so terrified in her life. "W-What was in that bottle?" she gasped, searching for the slender object. It was buried elsewhere.

Darkness shrouded her vision, hiding the room from her worried eyes as a frightening thought crossed her mind. Had she gone blind?

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 17th May 2014

**Words:** 529

**Symm:** This is probably the last chapter of the day, unless I manage to update another one later on. I guess we'll have to see ^^ Please drop a **review**, thanks for reading!


	9. Bare

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Bare<strong>

Tohru took a tentative step forward, sucking in a deep breath.

A shiver ran down her- a possible reaction of her body's consciousness, some feeling deep down reacting to the sudden darkness- leaving her feeling bare and vulnerable. She shuffled onward, drawing out her arms to feel for a way out.

It didn't take long for her hands to brush against something.

It wasn't a wall, that much she knew; it was too soft and flimsy. A rich scent of flowers filled the air, reminding her of her mother's flower garden. Whenever she had finished tending to the garden her mother had always returned smelling of flowers. It was a distinguishing smell, one she would never forget. She muttered something under her breath, grappling the fabric before her as she took another whiff.

Very familiar. Indeed.

Tohru took a fresh breath before bending her knees and pulling the fabric up with all her might. Her legs shook from the weight, feeling the caressing touches of the fabric against her knees. She struggled to hold it, daring another breath as she noticed the line of light beneath her and the fabric. Maybe she should have participated in Kazuma's karate lessons. She did lack in upper body strength.

She yanked the material higher, ignoring the quivering of her muscles as they strained in their compartments. After another startling breath Tohru pushed another bucket of strength into her hold, keeping it up for a few more seconds before darting under the gap, narrowly missing the fabric as it dropped back into place.

Tohru almost fell back at the sight before her.

Rising up from a pile of confetti sat the three-legged table towering a good few metres above her. And the bottle- it was ginormous! She thought it was a trick, blaming the liquid she had consumed. Maybe the drink really had been drugged. Had she gone loopy?

But with another sweep of the room, she found that even the confetti had grown in size.

She blinked. Glancing down at her hand Tohru followed the milky white skin with her eyes, running them along her bare arms and shoulders- she frowned. "_Bare skin_," she mumbled, narrowing her eyes as they landed south.

Her eyes widened and her mouth struggled to form words, conversing in stutters and grunts. No wonder she felt so bare and vulnerable. She was naked, _stark naked!_

Tohru screamed.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 18th May 2014

**Words:** 405

**Symm:** I've got my last science exam tomorrow but it's not till the afternoon, giving me the whole morning to relax and read over my notes before going in. I so detest morning exams -.- THEY'RE TOO EARLY!

Thanks for the review and follow **DayDreamingDuma**! I appreciate you taking the time to give feedback, it was very nice of you :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	10. Shrunken

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Shrunken<strong>

Tohru clawed at her face in hysteric, screaming at the top of her lungs. "W-Why am I naked?" she gasped, stumbling back. "W-Who did this, what happened?"

She was confused, that was for sure. "I don't understand this at all!" she exclaimed, backing into the wall made of fabric. "What to do, what to do." She mumbled raking a hand through her tangled hair.

_'What is the most sensible thing to do?'_ a voice whispered.

Tohru placed a hand to her head to think. "...I-I need to cover up!" she nodded, taking a sudden tumble and crashing into a pile of giant confetti.

The paper felt heavy, holding her in place with their multi-coloured corners. Her hands fumbled around tugging at the confetti to relieve herself of the weight. Once standing she clambered over to the wall of fabric, gripping the material with white knuckles. Her eyes roamed over its texture and she considered an option.

"Here goes," she huffed and yanked on the fabric, pushing all of her energy into the pull. There was a sound of a tear before a fraction of the material ripped from the wall, knocking her back from the force of the snap.

The material was a familiar peach, paling in comparison to her skin. "Even the texture is the same," she breathed, taking a step back. Angling her position Tohru gazed at the wall of fabric, finding something entirely different.

The wall wasn't a wall, but a dress. _Her_ dress. "...D-Did I shrink?"

It would explain the sudden change in size of the room and furniture. But was it possible? She shook her head. "I guess this is a dream." Then it's possible to imagine a new set of clothes, right?

Holding her breath Tohru closed her eyes and pictured a replica of her overgrown dress, memorizing a much smaller size to fit her tiny form.

She opened her eyes and looked down. She was still naked. "It didn't work..." she loosened her hold on the fabric, glancing down. "O-Oh!"

She held the fabric back up, finding a dress in its place. But it wasn't the one she had imagined.

The dress was tight-fitting at the top with white lace and puffy sleeves. It puffed out at the waist, creating a circular hoop of blue. One thing that stuck out as odd was the white apron laced into the bottom half, holding a single black heart in the corner. She wished for her previous dress.

Taking no chances, Tohru slipped the dress on and rushed towards the door before the falling paper filled it up completely.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 20th May 2014

**Words:** 445

**Symm:** I have an interview at the college I've applied for tomorrow and I'm kind of getting nervous. I have to take my art work up because one of the classes I want to take is art. I'm so nervous! o(0.0)o It's only a two year course though so it shouldn't be that bad.

Thanks for the favourite **CaityCat97**!

Thank you for reviewing **Minzy**. To answer your question yes, I've re-written the chapters and am uploading them as I go along. I'm doing it with all my stories since I'm trying to get better at writing ;) Sorry about that, this was the first one I decided to edit! I'm trying to add romance in too to make it better!


	11. What's The Hurry?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: What's The Hurry?<strong>

Her feet carried her away as she rushed along the stacks of paper and shoved her way through, brushing past the wide table legs on her way out. With a leap she cleared the confetti pile covering the door, bursting through with a tired huff and patting her dress down to rid of any paper.

With a satisfied smile Tohru looked up, finding the flowers from before planted in rows upon rows. "There's more than I thought," she walked towards one, running a hand along its thick stem. The flowers were much taller than the ones she had back at home, reaching twice the size of an average one.

She frowned. Was this new world overgrown too or was she just small.

Murmurs and harsh whispers echoed towards her ears, coming from above. She took a step back and stood on her tippy-toes, inclining her head back to find the source. Her lips pursed at the sight of a handful of animals sitting around a table on top of one of the flowers, huddled together and deep in discussion.

"No! That's not fun, we have to-!"

"Oh shut up, you always come up with boring ideas!" a grey mouse cut off one of the birds of prey, slamming his fist and rocking the table.

Tuning out Tohru wandered off with an unsettling inkling in her mind, prodding her thoughts. They can't possible be part of the twelve Zodiac. She would know, having met them all during her visit to the Sohma house. So why can they talk if they're just regular animals?

Walking back she spotted a gravelled path wedged into the flower garden and decided to follow it, shaking her head and stopping before an orange flower. Two petals in the shape of cat ears adored its head and a few twisted leaves acted as whiskers, curving out from the stem.

"It looks just like Kyo," she giggled, patting one of its lower leaves.

_"Nyaa!" _it hissed, flapping its frail leaves and whiskers in surprise.

Tohru stumbled back. She hadn't expected the neko to talk. She didn't even realise it was alive! Her eyes ran over the angry cat, making out a few cusses as it shook its head with fury. She scratched her head muttering, "Y-You really do remind me of Kyo."

The neko flower twitched, bouncing from its stem as if to chase after the girl but it roots kept it grounded. It wasn't going anywhere._"Nyaa, nyaa, NYAA! Meow, nyaa!"_ it growled, but Tohru couldn't understand it at all.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak cat." She smiled apologetically but the neko crossed its leaves over one another, sticking its petal nose in the air. "...Kyo would probably be able to translate, except he's not here. What a shame-"

The sound of pattering feet stopped her.

Momiji stood pacing behind a cluster of bluebell, clutching a pair of gloves and fan to his chest. Worry lines appeared on his forehead as he walked back and forth still in his Zodiac form. "Oh! I forgot about the Duchess!" he whined, twitching his tail in aggravation.

Tohru gasped hurrying towards him. "M-Momiji! I thought I lost you," she wheezed reaching the rabbit in a few steps.

Momiji looked up at the sound of his name, gazing at Tohru with conflicting eyes. "Tohru, you finally caught up. What took you so long?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 20th May 2014

**Words:** 575

**Symm:** Here's another chapter! Enjoy ;)


	12. Lateness Kills

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Lateness Kills<strong>

"...You were expecting me?" Tohru asked, rubbing her arm anxiously. "I-I think there's been some miscommunication," she frowned, edging closer to the rabbit. "I followed you here out of curiosity. If I knew that the rabbit hole led to another world I wouldn't have come here in the first place," she sighed. "I'm so sorry Momiji, I shouldn't have followed you-"

"_Tohru_." Momiji strained. "It's alright, really. I expected you to follow me."

Tohru tensed. "B-But-"

He smiled. "You don't need to apologize," his ears flopped gracelessly against his head. His golden watch rattled in his pocket ticking furiously like a chime. "Ah, I almost forgot!" his expression changed. "I-I'm sorry Tohru I can't discuss this right now!" he placed a paw on the watch to stop it from shaking. "Sorry, sorry! I have to hurry to the Duchess!"

"Momiji-"

"She'll _kill_ me if I'm late Tohru. Please, I have to go!" he gave her a strained smile. "Oh, and don't go talking to any more neko flowers, they have a bad temper. But if you want a translator go find Kyo!" he winked before rushing off, purposely dropping the fan and gloves to the ground in his wake. "You'll understand soon," Momiji whispered knowing she couldn't hear. "I promise."

Tohru stared off after him, her legs frozen in place. Momiji had intended for her to follow him down the hole but for what reason, she didn't know. Her heart had lurched at the sound of Kyo's name, awakening a hidden feeling inside. Why was Kyo here? Had he followed after her down the hole?

Releasing her thoughts for the time being Tohru reached down to pick up the items the clumsy rabbit had dropped, tucking them away in her pockets without a second glance. "Off to the Duchess' house then," she mused.

Just as she was making her way down the path in search of the said woman's residence a loud rumbling rocked the floor with tremors, shaking the earth under her feet. Tohru clutched onto a nearby plant as the dam of confetti blocking the small door she had come through broke free like an avalanche, releasing thousands of sharp-edged paper her way.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 20th May 2014

**Words:** 385

**Symm:** There's been a lot of sun here lately (which is a first for Wales seeing as we usually have rain) but there was thunder during my exam yesterday and it rained just as I got home. But nothing interesting has happened today. I've been bored out my mind!


	13. Submerged

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Submerged<strong>

Tohru held onto the flower for dear life, digging her nails through the outer coating of the stem. It wiggled and budged under her fingers, wanting attention. She gasped as the flower's leaves furled around her, recognising the plant's face. It was the orange neko. "I-I'm sorry!" she released her grip, not intending to cause it pain.

The neko growled, sending a chorus of panicked yelps towards the girl.

For one unable to speak cat, Tohru understood. _"RUN!"_ the cat had yelled, and run she did.

The flower threw her a great distance as her legs moved in mid-air, sweeping through the sky with a good few kicks before plummeting down. She rolled across the ground roughly, feeling the paper dig into her skin as she forced herself to her feet. She pressed on, hearing the terrified screams of the neko as the paper held it captive, drowning it in streams of confetti.

Tohru gasped, pushing her legs harder. She didn't want the same fate as the cat. "Come on!" she yelled, feeling the paper rise up behind. With a final leap Tohru cleared a fallen plant just as the paper washed over her, burying her under as she twirled.

The confetti assaulted her body as she tumbled and flipped among the paper, getting dragged deeper and deeper until she was fully submerged.

Her arms whipped around covering her head and she opened her eyes, finding it suffocating. A blur of colours mixed around her as they floated past, continuing their reign over the garden.

"I-I hope Momiji g-got out," she rasped, kicking her legs to push herself through the surface as the thick smell of cardboard stuffed her nose.

None of this would have happened if she had just closed the door while she had the chance. But it was too late. The damage has already begun.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 384

**Symm:** I find it amusing that the paper assaulted her. I don't know why, it just sounds so stupid XD Fair enough if someone popped a confetti cannon right in your face, but paper? No, the most she'll get is paper cuts ^^

Thanks for the follow: **Aeternus Rosa**!

Thanks for the reviews: **DayDreamingDuma** and **Minzy**!

Sorry about that **Minzy**, I had the urge to write a few chapters yesterday ;D Thanks, I'm trying my best!


	14. Conquering Dodo's

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 14: Conquering Dodo's<strong>

Tohru reached blindly, grabbing onto a rough cord amongst the paper. She heard a shocked yelp as the cord jerked forward, almost loosening from her grip. "Pull me up!" she cried and the cord wiggled in response, pulling her through the rainbow of paper until she burst through the surface, floating leisurely on top.

"That hurt!" a voice yelled accusingly, pulling the cord from her hands as she took a big gulp of air.

Her eyes focused on a grey mouse glaring ruefully at her state, stroking his tail with a dissatisfied look. "Yuki-" Tohru stopped herself, noticing her mistake.

The grey mouse before her didn't look like her rat friend one bit. His fur was a shade too dark and his whiskers were much shorter than Yuki's. And his tail was pink! He was a wild mouse.

The anger left his face as he shot her a confused frown, dropping his tail. "...Do you have mental issues?"

Tohru blinked. How rude! "N-No. I mistook you for someone else..." she trailed off as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It won't happen again."

"It better not," he snapped, instantly regretting it when the girl's nose scrunched up in fear. "N-No matter, come along." He gestured for her to follow. "I shall take you to the shore."

Not having anywhere else to go Tohru nodded begrudgingly and followed after the mouse, wading her way calmly through the stacks of paper. They clambered over the garden fence near the edge of the growing pool, sliding down the opposite side to land on the grassy land deeper below.

Amongst the grass sat a few other animals, each looking tired and exhausted from the sudden act of activity. Some of the birds had draggled feathers which stuck out at odd angles and the smaller critters such as the mice and turtles had paper caught in their fur and shells.

"This is all my fault," Tohru mumbled sadly, wringing her hands with guilt.

"Ahem!" the mouse cleared his throat, attracting everyone's attention. "Once upon a time there was a man known as Edward the Conqueror. He loved to sit beside fires and-"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" an eagle interrupted, looking as confused as the others.

"Please don't interrupt me you ignorant eagle!" the mouse replied, crossing his arms. "Everyone else seemed to be enjoying my story-" he looked around for supportive smiles from his fellow comrades but they stayed silent, avoiding eye contact with the mouse. He sighed, "I was just trying to lighten the mood."

The eagle shrugged. "Well, it wasn't working."

"I know! Why don't we have a Cactus race?" a Dodo squawked suddenly, making them all jump in surprise.

Tohru stared blankly at the bird, recognising it from a history book she had once read. "Aren't Dodo's extinct?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 479

**Symm:** I just came back from my interview at the college and it wasn't what I was expecting. There were _way_ more stairs than my old school and I didn't even need to use the stuff the letter told me to bring! Plus, I didn't realise you had to choose four subjects, I only chose three. I want to do English again but I don't want to go through all the dreadful orals, they make me paranoid. I have until August to decide, but the fourth subject is dropped after the first year anyway for some reason. I don't see the point in taking it if it's only for half a course...


	15. Just Follow The Duck

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 15: Just Follow The Duck<strong>

"Dodo, that game is old," the mouse whined, taking a step back. "It's a child's game, nothing more." He groaned.

The eagle flapped his wings, creating a small gust of wind with his feathers. It brushed against Tohru, throwing her hair around in a whirl of brown swirls. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the colours underneath the bird's feathers, finding an array of blacks and blues.

"What unusual colours," she smiled. "I've never seen anything like it," she clapped causing the eagle to blush.

"T-Thanks, I guess," he muttered, folding his wings back to hide them. "A-Anyway!" he turned back to the grey mouse. "We are playing Dodo's game whether you like it or not," he said before turning to Tohru. "A-And you, erm, you can join in too if you wish..." his blush depended, confusing the girl.

She stared at the red staining his feathered cheeks, wondering whether he was too hot. "Are you feeling alright?" she questioned, gaining a comical chuckle from one of the turtles.

The eagle flushed, stumbling back from his perch. "Y-Yes! I'm fine," he stuttered hurriedly before turning back to the Dodo. "G-Go show her how to play," he ushered the supposed-to-be extinct bird towards Tohru who smiled in response, warming the eagle's feathers.

Dodo waddled over and marked out a circle with his beak in the earth, using his clawed foot as a pointer and showing her where she would stand and how many laps she would have to run around the circle. With a grin, Dodo gave a confirming nod to the eagle who scraped his foot against a rock, signalling the start.

Tohru hadn't really understood the Dodo's instructions.

_'Don't worry, just run.'_ A voice spoke from within.

Tohru rubbed her eyes, blinking at the familiarity of the voice. That was the third time today the mysterious voice has spoken. It sounded like an echo in her head, almost as if her own thoughts had a separate conscience.

"Go!" a voice roared from far off, alerting the girl that the race had begun and she should get running.

With a slow start Tohru stumbled from her spot, moving into a slow jog while the other animals ran around one another, some going the completely wrong way. "W-Where do I go?" she asked, hoping the voice would provide an answer.

_'Follow the duck.'_

Tohru nodded and raced after the bird, staying behind his tail feathers. She followed him around in circles, almost bumping into a canary and her chicks. She was feeling exhausted from the excursion.

"The game has ended!" the Dodo squawked suddenly as Tohru almost tumbled over a turtle from his abrupt stop.

The mouse scrubbed at his forehead, wiping away the built up sweat as he huffed, "Who has won?" he stood back on his hind legs, flicking his tail sloppily.

He wasn't the only tired one.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 499

**Symm:** This chapter was much longer but I maxed over the 600 limit and had to cut it down. I couldn't find a suitable paragraph to cut it at near the bottom so had to halve it instead :( Sorry about that!


	16. Birds Have No Pockets!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: Birds Have No Pockets!<strong>

Tohru had ended up leaning against the garden fence dripping with sweat, too gone to notice the pieces of confetti falling from the overload behind the fence. She had never felt so heavy in her life, gripping the white flecked wood for support as she feared she would collapse any second.

She heard a sigh from behind but was too tired to turn. Her legs gave out and she fell onto her knees with a ragged gasp.

"...Here," a feathered wing handed her a cup.

Tohru thanked him looking up through her blurred eyes to find the eagle from before, looking as flushed as ever- probably from the running she concluded. She didn't bother asking where he had gotten the cup from, chugging the cold liquid down in delight. Moments later her vision cleared and she felt the energy return.

"Dodo, are you gonna answer my question?" the mouse spat pulling Tohru back to the present. His tail whipped behind him furiously. He was angry with the bird, knowing too well that he hadn't thought any of this through.

The Dodo paused placing the tip of his wing on his forehead. "...Everyone has won...so everyone must have prizes!"

An uproar chorused among the animals as they squabbled over who would get the best prize.

"I came first so I get the trophy!"

"No!"

"Stop lying, I obviously won!"

"E-Enough!" the Dodo yelled, tipping back on his feet from the encore of protests. "Everyone, just shut up!" he shook all over, looking like he could explode any minute.

Between the shouts from the Dodo against the crowd of losers one of the ducks asked, "Who has the prizes?"

This stopped everyone.

A sinister smile crept up the grey mouse's face. He knew Dodo hadn't brought anything. How could he have? Birds don't have pockets. "Well," he began, swirling his tail around in his hand, "it seems that the-"

"She has!" the dodo exclaimed, pointing a wing at the human.

Tohru looked up briefly. "P-Prizes?" she repeated, watching as the animals swarmed around her at her question. She looked at them in astonishment. No one had told her to bring prizes. "Um, I-I think there's been a mistake-"

"Hush!" the eagle grabbed the cup from her hands and covered her mouth with his other wing. "L-Look! She gave me a cup for my prize, how sweet." He lied as the others clapped his award.

Tohru sweat-dropped. What was he talking about?

"Now, everyone line up so the human can hand out the prizes," he chirped, ushering them a few metres away before leaning down to whisper into the girl's ear. "Just go along with it otherwise they'll maul you for your clothes," he said, removing his wing from her mouth and helping her stand. "These animals can get desperate and will take anything for a prize." He gave her a pointed look. "Maybe even your hair."

Tohru gasped, "R-Really?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry about all this. Dodo is stupid. We all know he didn't prepare any prizes so tried to put the blame on you," he explained, shooting a narrowed look at the blubbering bird. "Do you have something in your pockets? Anything will do."

Tohru shook her head. "Not that I know of." She had Momiji's fan and gloves but she wasn't handing them over. She dug around her pockets desperately, hiding the rabbit's possessions in her search. Her eyes widened. "O-Oh wait, I might have something."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 597

**Symm:** I've been listening to Vocaloid on repeat from my playlist and it's getting me through a good couple of chapters- that is until some of my favourites come on. I can't help but sing along ^o^ Does anyone have a **favourite **Vocaloid**? **Mine would have to be Rin and Len Kagamine. They're so adorable!


	17. Behold The Prize Keeper!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: Behold The Prize Keeper!<strong>

The eagle gave her a surprised and confusing look as she pulled out an entire box filled with chocolates from her narrow pocket. How, she didn't know.

"W-Where did that come from?" he stuttered, flailing his wings around. Was she a witch? Some sort of magician!?

Tohru shrugged and gave him a timid smile. "I-I...don't know," she stammered.

"Chocolates!" a turtle gasped, "No, animals can't eat chocolate, it's too sugary-"

"IT'S SUGAR FREE!" the eagle shouted suddenly. "N-No worries, it's fine." Yet another lie.

Tohru smiled, playing along with the eagle's intentions. "Here, who would like one?"

The animals devoured the box in mere seconds, almost chomping both her hands off with it. They seemed to be satisfied with their prizes and even thanked her, ceasing their previous argument.

"But she must have a prize for herself!" the grey mouse complained, sending her a supportive wink.

The Dodo shrugged. "What else is in your pocket?" he asked her.

Tohru fumbled around in her pockets once more, fishing out a cold piece of metal. "...A thimble?" she passed it to him.

The bird held it in the air for a few seconds, marvelling in its presence before placing it on her head like a hat. "Human girl, I pronounce you the great and powerful prize keeper!" he announced, gaining a confused look from her and the eagle.

The animals burst into laughter, dancing around one another with glee as if a laughing gas bomb had been set off. Seriously, what made them so hyper all of a sudden?

Tohru smiled and whispered to herself, "Such strange animals."

The eagle grinned, nudging her shoulder. "Where are you gonna go after this?"

"I-I hadn't thought about that..."

"Didn't any of your friends come with you?" he pondered, looking around as a sudden thought crept into his mind. "Oh no, please don't say they got swept away in the cofetti!"

I hope he didn't. "Not really, my friends are...elsewhere." She put it. "But they can change into animals just like you and your friends. One is a rat, different to that grey mouse," she nodded at him with a friendly smile, "and the other is a cat."

"D-Did you say a cat?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 380

**Symm:** I've changed a few things in this chapter again. The eagle isn't going to be one of the small roles that you forget after the next chapter or so, he's gonna be with Tohru a little longer since he seems to have an...awkward connection with her- not that Tohru has noticed.


	18. Cat Hatin'

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: Cat Hatin'<strong>

The mice- including the grey mouse- ran behind one of the larger birds of prey, huddling together at the very word.

Tohru stared sympathetically at their shivering forms. "What's wrong with cats-?"

"Don't even say it!" the grey mouse cried, gripping his tail with sheer force. "T-Their kind isn't allowed around here, it is forbidden to talk about them!"

She took a step back, accidentally brushing against the eagle's extended wing and he blushed once again for the third or fourth time today. "You're afraid of-?" Tohru sighed, connecting the dots. Of course the mice would be afraid of cats, they're mortal enemies. They are a feline's prey. "S-Sorry, I forgot about that. It's just that I love cats so much and even wish to be born in the Year of the Cat..." Tohru whispered. "He must have been so lonely all by himself-"

"It's getting late!" cried a pigeon, not liking where the girl was heading. Mice weren't the only prey of a cat.

Tohru frowned looking up at the sky which had indeed darkened quite a bit. "Oh, I guess you'll all be going home now..." she whispered. They nodded, posing a question in her mind. Where would she go? Momiji had disappeared and she didn't know where the garden path had gone- already swallowed up by the confetti. Finding the Duchess was impossible right now.

"Come along, children," a canary said to her chicks, doing a head count and making sure they were all present before leading them towards a tall tree. She dared a worried glance back at the girl before flying into the tree, becoming hidden among the bush.

Tohru watched as Dodo and the other small birds followed after her and the turtles crawled back into their hobby holes- despite the overflowing confetti pile behind. The mice scurried away with them as the grey mouse dawdled behind, giving her a timid smile.

"B-Bye, it was nice meeting you," he nodded before rushing off.

Was it something she said? For all that had stayed with her was the eagle. "No wonder I haven't seen any cats as of yet." Including Kyo. "...But there was a neko flower."

Sensing her displeasure the eagle patted her head, removing the thimble and shoving it in her pocket. "What's your name, I don't think you ever introduced yourself." A little conversation wouldn't hurt.

"I never got the chance to," she giggled, brushing back a loose hair. "My name is Tohru Honda."

"What a pretty- H-HONDA!?" he gasped, wrapping a wing around her wrist. "A-Are you sure? Are you lying?" he fired her with questions, making her feel uncomfortable.

"I-I..." Why would she lie about her own name? Tohru tugged effortlessly on his grip, knowing he was too strong for her to push off. "I'm telling the truth, my name is Tohru Honda." She forced a smile.

The eagle hesitated. "...For real?" she nodded. She was telling the truth. He let her go after a pause, slumping against the garden picket fence in defeat. "The girl of the prophecy."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 527

**Symm:** I really want to go to Japan so I can visit the Ghibli museum. The Totoro music box tunes have got me fired up and ready to leave right now! I NEED TO FIND A PLANE! O.O


	19. Fen

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: Fen<strong>

"...Prophecy?"

The eagle stopped his fumbling, bending back his wings with a huff. "You don't know?"

Tohru shook her head. She knew what a prophecy was, yes. But he had confused her with the words, _'The girl of the prophecy.'_ What had he meant by that?

"Well, it's not my place to say this but..." he trailed off.

"But-?" she encouraged with a smile.

The eagle's mind stopped. He couldn't look away. Her cheeks puffed up in a cute way, illuminating her wide eyes and her hair fluttered around her narrow framed face as a slight breeze picked up, causing the girl to giggle in surprise. He was lost for words.

"Mr Eagle?"

"A-Ah, never mind, it's not my place to say." He shrugged as if it was nothing.

Tohru's smile dropped. "Oh, OK then." She sighed going back to her thoughts. She had been wondering for a while now, feeling pressured to contact the strange voice inside her mind. Was it a mere echo of her inner thoughts or was she just going crazy? She didn't know. Maybe the grey mouse had been right and she really did have mental issues.

"-told you I'd be executed." The eagle finished, letting out a sigh.

"I-I'm sorry, what did you say?" she snapped back to reality, giving him a trembling smile as an apology. "Something about an...exe...nuton?"

"_Execution_." He corrected. "I said that if I told you about the prophecy I would be executed." He repeated his words.

Her eyes widened with fear. "E-Executed?" she gasped almost falling back along side him. "Why would-?"

"The Queen here has no mercy. She enjoys chopping off people's heads and acts like it's a game. The heads are the prizes and well, the bodies are the percussions..." he gulped noticing her worried expression. "Ah, I'll be fine though," he scratched his head. "I didn't tell you so I'll be alright. Plus there's no one in hearing distance."

"Phew, that's great." She breathed. "N-No, not that you're getting executed- oh, never mind!" she cradled her head in her hands, taking a deep breath. "W-What's your name?" Tohru stuttered trying to change the subject.

"...I'm not sure."

Her jaw dropped. "You don't know?" she whimpered, reaching out a hand to comfort him. She patted his head and poked at his feathers, surprised at how soft they were. "Well then, how about I give you one?"

The eagle stopped. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course! You're my friend." She giggled, placing a finger to her head in thought. "Hm, how about I call you...Fen?"

He smiled. "Fen it is."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 21st May 2014

**Words:** 463

**Symm: **No growing Tohru in this chapter I'm afraid. I've completely scrapped the chapter where Tohru drinks another (DRINK ME) bottle and grows to the size of a house since it would have been a random excursion. In the story Alice grows so big that her heads pops out the roof (wearing it as an odd hat) and her feet stick out the windows, having to find and eat a piece of (EAT ME) cake ;)

That's all for today, my mind had been sucked dry and needs to recharge. See you all tomorrow!


	20. Another Man

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: Another Man<strong>

An yawn escaped her at the sight of the rising moon, casting a ray of silver along the picket fence. Tohru didn't want to think of the injured flowers caught in the confetti blast for she knew too well what the outcome already was. Plants needed roots to absorb the water and minerals from the ground and without that mechanism, they can't survive.

"Fen...when are you going to leave?" her voice was sincere. The moon reflected in her eyes, making them look bigger under her small row of eyelashes.

The bird was taken back. Did she want him to leave? "I-I..." Fen didn't know how to answer. He didn't want to leave, but if it was her wish then he would fulfill it. It wasn't really up to him.

Tohru sighed, cupping her hands under her chin. "Everyone else has left. I'm just waiting for you to go too," she whispered solemnly. "_They__ always leave..._"

"I'm not gonna leave," warm wings furled around her waist, pulling her into a hard chest. She blushed at the close proximity, feeling his warm breath on her neck. No one had ever held her like this, not even her own mother.

"Thank you," she mumbled, pulling back the blush on her cheeks. No! She wouldn't think like this, not when she already had another man in her heart. He owns it, despite the lack of contact between them. But she knew it wasn't his fault.

"Why did you want me to leave?" Fen forced himself to pull away, already missing the soft texture of her skin under his wings.

"A-Ah, well, I thought you'd wish to return to your family..." she frowned at the hurt look in his eyes. She casted her eyes downwards. What had she said?

Fen shook his head and shrugged. "No, I'm a loner. My family moved on quite a while back."

Tohru nodded seeming to understand. She knew that feeling and it has never gone away. "Then would you like to accompany me on my journey? I'm searching for my friend," she asked gently.

No way was he leaving the girl of the prophecy on her own. She was never leaving his sight. "Obviously," he huffed picking himself up. "Come on, let's go find some shelter for the night." He set off ahead, wanting to get as far away as he could from the growing confetti pile. He wasn't risking anything tonight.

He got a few feet forward before stopping when he realised she wasn't following. "Come on! You're holding us up," he snapped gruffly.

Tohru smiled. "You remind me of Kyo."

"What was that?" he yapped.

"N-Nothing," she giggled chasing after his shrinking form in the distance.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 22nd May 2014

**Words:** 469

**Symm:** There has been thunder and lightning non-stop all day, but I LOVE IT! Unfortunately the sky keeps darkening, hence leaving my house in total blackness. My netbook light is my only source. (My phone too of course) ;)

Thanks for the reviews **Aeternus Rosa**! I appreciate the support. **Y****OU GET A FREE BUNNY HUG!**


	21. Raining Toadstools

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 21: Raining Toadstools<strong>

_Pit, pat! Pitter, pat!_

Tohru opened her blurry eyes and stretched. A vision of brown filled her sight, confusing the sleepy girl. She sat up, hearing the pitter pattering of the rain. Kyo hated the rain.

A foul stench filled her nose as she awoke more, her eyes glazing at the sight of a floating circle of smoke rising past her. She pursed her lips, looking back at Fen who had woken from the smell of smoke. He yawned and flapped his wings, ruffling the feathers.

"Mornin'," he mumbled, wiping his beady brown eyes with a wing.

Tohru nodded. "Good morning."

She had spent a whole day in this strange world without learning a single thing. They had walked a couple of miles the previous night, having to take shelter as a sudden gush of rain broke through the sky. The toadstool they had slept under had brown ridges underneath and was a bright red on top with white polka dots. In her shrunken state the toadstool had acted like a canopy, stopping the rain from drenching their skin and feathers.

Her heart hammered in her chest at the thought of never returning home, to never see her friends again. She inhaled a shaky breath. Tohru was determined to find her rabbit friend to take him home with her. She would find the directions and return.

Fen yawned, "Wow, it's still raining?"

"Mhm."

"It should have stopped by now." He frowned, stretching his clawed feet against the toadstools stub. "We'll get drenched in this rain."

Tohru giggled. It didn't sound that bad, not when she had nearly drowned in a confetti pile. Now that was something she could brag about. Who else would've experienced such a thing?

Her eyes drifted towards another circle of smoke wavering against the pellets of rain and twisting into a heart shape. Ignoring the eagle's strange look Tohru stepped out into the rain, peering over the tall toadstool.

Sitting leisurely under a giant leaf sat a giant Hatori, smoking away at a silver pipe. The puffs of smoke came out in different colours, each a different shape like the ones that had woken her up. She looked up at him, feeling the weight of the rain on her back.

"Hatori?"

He looked down with his large brown eyes, removing the pipe from his mouth. "Tohru Honda. Why are you so tiny?" he leaned down, uncovering his hidden eye as his long fringe fell forward. He was a giant in Tohru's eyes, standing higher than average. How strange.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 22nd May 2014

**Words: **428

**Symm:** Does anyone watch the TV show Grimm? If not I'd recommend it. It's based off people who can change into other creatures from fables (worldwide ones) and commit crimes. The victims usually die...but the Christmas one was creepy. They completely ruined Santa Clause!


	22. The Teller

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: The Teller<strong>

Tohru gulped. "A drink made me shrink," she mumbled politely glancing back at Fen as he joined her beside the toadstool.

Hatori's eyes ran over the eagle for a second before returning to Tohru's form. "Well, it seems you saved me a second trip. I was on my way to find you but it appears you found me first." He puffed, taking another drag of his pipe.

"You were looking for me?" she asked, eyes widening. "O-Oh, did you fall down the hole as well Hatori? Were you looking for me and Momiji?" her eyes gleamed with hope as she stared at the sea horse.

Hatori paused. What a cunning rabbit. "No, Tohru," he sighed.

"Ah!" Fen suddenly exclaimed, pointing a wing at the man. "Y-You're the Teller!"

He almost choked on his puff. "And why would a simple bird know of this?" he looked at him with criticizing eyes, blowing a circle of smoke at his face.

Fen shrugged. "You know how Kureno is when he's drunk. He blabs a lot. Mostly about the Queen, but he told me about you." He looked at Tohru. "In fact, we were on our way to find you."

"W-We were?" Tohru stuttered, looking back and forth between the pair.

"Yes, remember when I said I couldn't tell you about your prophecy?" he grinned, pointing at the Zodiac. "Well, he's the guy that can! It's his role," he squawked.

Tohru shook her head feeling a dizzy spell cast over her. "I-I'm confused, I don't know what's happening," she whined.

Hatori ushered them over. "Do not worry Tohru Honda, I will tell you." He reassured her. "But come take shelter from the rain first, you're going to catch your death."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 22nd May 2014

**Words:** 301

**Symm:** So if you haven't already figured it out, Hatori is the caterpillar! I thought it suited him best since both characters smoke ;P


	23. Fixer Upper

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 23: Fixer Upper<strong>

Tohru and Fen sat under Hatori's giant leaf umbrella, kneeling beside his feet. Hatori took a drag of his pipe, blowing out a circle of purple smoke before puffing out two smaller rings in between the gaps.

He cleared his throat, "To start off, this world is know as Wonderland. It is a separate dimension to Earth."

"So this isn't a dream?"

Hatori smiled grimly, nibbling briefly on the tip of his pipe. He watched the rain fall, thinking about his answer. It was a simple question, but was one which he didn't know. "Only time can tell, Tohru."

She nodded, distantly hearing the _pit, pat_ of the rain. "Then...how are you and Momiji here?"

"It's another dimension, Tohru." He brushed his fringe back. "We are what you'd call parallel. In every dimension there is a replica of all beings, ranging from humans to plants. It is almost like a parallel universe to your Earth." He stated. "We are merely copies that are corporal, being able to feel and touch the things in this world. But it is a different story with you Tohru _Honda_," he muttered, tapping her head with the tip of the pipe.

"Don't I have my own copy?"

"No," Fen cut in. "When you were born you were destined to complete your task in this separate world."

Tohru frowned solemnly. "But what is my-?"

"Many centuries ago, Wonderland was a beautiful place filled with contempt inhabitants and scenery beyond the wildest eye!" Hatori smiled as his voice deepened. "However the White Queen, the first ruler of this world disappeared without a trace. No one knew where or what had happened, leaving Wonderland without a ruler. And so the council turned to her step sister, the Red Queen for help."

Fen shivered at the sound of her name, quaking in his boots- not that he was wearing any.

"She accepted her role as the new Queen and ruined the royals name with bloodshed and anger. She even went to war with a neighbouring country and tried to force her reign over them. It failed of course, so the Queen resorted to being spiteful to her own people. When one thing is out of place, she beheads them, no matter how many witnesses vote for their innocence." Hatori looked down at Tohru's shaking legs, noticing her faltering calm expression and her quivering lips which formed in a firm line.

"S-So what is my role?"

He chuckled, blowing a loop of red smoke around her. She coughed, wafting away at it with her hand. "You my dear, are to fix it."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 22nd May 2014

**Words:** 441

**Symm: **I chose the title from the Frozen song since it has 'Fix' in it (I didn't know what else to call it). So yeah, no copywriting here...heh...


	24. Growing

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: Growing<strong>

Tohru gaped at him, throwing a look over her shoulder at Fen in fear. "F-Fix it!? No! I can't possibly do that!" she shook her head. She didn't want to screw it up. Her relationship with the Zodiac was stable and she feared that if she accepted this challenge it would throw all her hard work out the window!

"Listen to me Tohru," Hatori leant down to look her dead in the eye. "You'll do fine." He reassured her, lightening his tone. "To save Wonderland you must first fix the Zodiac. The disruption of this world has created vast problems and it is your job to fix them all. However there is no order to it."

"How can I possibly fix a human being?"

"By being yourself," Fen said. He lifted his wing and tugged at her hair, "Hatori and I both have faith in you. Helping the Zodiac with their issues will save this world and return the White Queen. Please, do it for me." He pleaded, breathing calmly through the holes in his beak.

She sighed nodding at the bird. Her eyes cast to the ground, slowly drawing up Hatori's legs to his face. "...How do I fix _you_?"

Hatori smiled. She had accepted. He reached into his pocket and fished out a crumpled slip of paper, reaching to hand it over before stopping, noticing the size difference between his hand and hers. "Let's start with returning your height," he ripped off a piece of a nearby toadstool and handed it over. "Eat this, it will make you grow."

"W-What about my dress? It didn't shrink with me last time-"

"Believe me, that won't happen again."

Having faith in the Zodiac Tohru nibbled on the edge of the bland plant receiving a bitter taste in her mouth. Her limbs tingled but didn't hurt like the first time; she didn't feel sick nor weak.

"Turn around," Hatori commanded the bird who begrudgingly agreed, turning his back on the pair with a pout.

Tohru shook uncontrollably, but not in a bad way. She felt her skin stretch over her growing bones at a tremendous rate; she watched her legs grow as her vision doubled, finding herself back in a solid 5 1/2 foot height. And there wasn't a single tear in her dress. "Thank you," she breathed glad that she could look into the doctor's eyes without freaking out at the size of them.

Even the toadstool was smaller, having been bigger than her moments ago. And Fen. He was now the size of her two hands put together, probably fitting on her shoulder with ease.

"S-So small..."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 26th May 2014

**Words:** 453

**Symm:** I didn't update on the weekend due to my sudden unplanned trip to Coventry, England. My parents took me and my brother to visit the family for the two days and boy, am I tired. They took us on a long walk (even though we were leaving an hour or two later) and I almost dropped off in the car XD


	25. Stamps

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 25: Stamps<strong>

He felt vulnerable.

His eyes focused on her feet. One raised foot could squish his like a fly! "Hatori, can your magic do other stuff?" he asked, nodding at her feet. "Like making new shoes?"

The sea horse put down his pipe, blowing one more short puff before examining Tohru's bare feet. "Hm," he huffed, reaching behind himself and opening his hand to show. In his palm sat two green leaves, both crumpled greatly at the tips. "Lend me your foot." It wasn't a question.

Tohru nodded and lifted her foot.

Hatori snatched it out of the air and threw the two leaves up, muttering a few words as the leaves floated aimlessly back into his palm. Tohru gasped. The leaves had grown into a pair of pale boots, still holding the elements of the green leaf in them. He fastened them to her feet, lacing the stems up for support while the leaf-boot stretched underfoot.

Tohru giggled, thanking the Zodiac with a gleeful grin. No one had ever made her boots before, let alone from leaves! What a surprise this is. _I love them! They're so soft and squishy!_ she thought with another giggle, not noticing the crazed look Fen with giving her.

He placed his wing to his head, mentally scorning himself for his stupidity. _What a crazy girl!_

Tohru calmed her laughter, wiping her running eyes with shaking hands as her orbs drifted to the parchment clutched under Hatori's elbow, wondering what it could possibly say. "What is that?"

Hatori's eyes flickered to the paper. "Ah, that is for you," he handed it over, waiting patiently for the girl to unfurl it.

Tohru rolled out the paper, frowning at the lack of contents on the sheet. It was blank. "Hatori-?"

The sea horse waved his hand, halting her confusion with a pat on the back. "Sorry, sorry, I forgot to add the ink," he tapped the paper twice.

Moments later a series of twelve boxes appeared on the paper scribbled in black ink and parallel to one another. Tohru licked her lips, waiting patiently for more information to appear. The seconds ticked away joining into minutes, leaving her to stand in pressured silence for the writing to join the boxes.

"What's wrong?" Hatori asked, picking up his pipe.

"...I-Isn't there any more?"

He almost dropped his pipe. "No!" he chuckled apologetically, ruffling her hair in amusement. "I thought you were thinking about this, it is a lot to take in." He shook his head. "There's no more writing Tohru, this is it."

She blushed, looking away with embarrassment. "S-Sorry."

"What are the boxes for then?" Fen flapped his wings and took off from the floor, landing neatly on Tohru's shoulder. He shivered, ruffling his feathers to rid of the rain drops that had fallen on him from the rim of the umbrella.

"Those are where the stamps go." Hatori replied dryly.

"Stamps?" They chorused.

"Every box is meant for the twelve Zodiac. When you solve a Zoldiac's problem a stamp will appear in which they will mark your great deed on the parchment. Each completed task will fix a rift in this dimension and will hopefully bring back the White Queen from wherever she disappeared off to."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 26th May 2014

**Words:** 553

**Symm:** Here's another chapter, enjoy! ;)


	26. Even Old Dragons Tell Little White Lies

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 26: Even Old Dragons Tell Little White Lies<strong>

Tohru nodded, stuffing the paper into her pocket. "That sounds easy enough."

Hatori chuckled, blowing out another puff. "All in due time, Tohru."

"So how do we solve your problem?" Fen asked, twisting his beak grimly at the man who chose to stare at the ground, hurt circling in his eyes.

"Oh, my problem is already solved," he grit his teeth. "You being here has fixed my rift in this world so that stamp should appear soon enough!" he forced a laugh.

Tohru smiled, noticing the way his lips curved up into a smile. But she frowned when her eyes drifted to his own, seeing the hurt radiate through to her confused ones.

Whatever Hatori was hiding was visible in his eyes. Tohru frowned. She didn't want to ask since it wasn't her place to do so. If he was telling the truth then his stamp should appear on the piece of parchment soon enough. But if he was lying...

Fen flapped his wings bringing her from her musings. "Then I guess our business is done with you, Teller." He squawked flexing his clawed feet. "Let's go find your friend Tohru," he flapped his wings for emphasis.

Tohru nodded grimly glancing back at the pouring rain. "Which way to the Duchess' house?" she looked at the two paths twisting off into different directions.

"The right path takes you to her house," Hatori answered her confusion for her, tapping her on the head. "Take the right path, _not_ the left." He stressed, reaching behind his back. "And we don't want you to get wet," he handed her a replica of his leaf umbrella for cover from the unpredictable weather.

"Thank you for your help, Hatori." Tohru accepted the furled up leaf and bowed, causing her hair to bob forward from the sudden drop. "I'll see you soon, I guess." She smiled.

The sea horse nodded, straining a smile. "Good luck, I'll be waiting for you to return." He chewed the tip of his pipe. "Goodbye for now."

Tohru waved her farewells before opening the umbrella, stretching the giant leaf to cover her and her bird friend from the rain. With one last look back Tohru set off down the path leading to the right, staying clear of the left path.

After an hour or so of walking Tohru unfurled the paper parchment and stared at the empty row of boxes on the sheet. Hatori had lied.

His problem was no where near being fixed.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 26th May 2014

**Words:** 419

**Symm:** So that's the last chapter for today unfortunately. I'm going away tomorrow and won't be back until late Thursday night so I can't guarantee an update until the Friday. Please review if you can ;)

Also, thanks for the reviews **Aeternus Rosa**!


	27. Distant Thoughts

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 27: Distant Thoughts<strong>

"The stamp isn't going to appear Tohru, no matter _how_ long you stare at it." Fen huffed from his perch on her shoulder, running his citrus eyes across the parchment. "Hatori lied. You know, I know. Hell, even he knows!" he squawked rudely stuffing his beak into her hair. As stupid as it sounded, he was jealous of the paper. He didn't want the stupid scrap of tree to get all the attention, not when they were finally alone. He wanted some too.

Giving in to his frustrations Fen nudged the blank girl again, noticing her decreasing pace. "Ne, Tohru. Earth to Tohru!?" he flapped his wings wildly when she didn't respond, throwing a gust of wind at her face. "Tohru, snap out of it!" he flapped again.

Tohru's lips opened with a pop.

Fen sighed momentarily. "Quit mourning, no one died. Hatori lied for a reason, and you moping around won't solve anything at this rate. Just roll the paper back up and put it in your pocket until further notice. It's not like we'll be needing it any time soon," he nodded at the thickening brush stretching high above them; they were solely in the middle of it. And he didn't need an upset Tohru on top of that.

With her dragging footfalls their pace was growing limited. She needed to snap out of it sooner rather than later if they were to ever find the Duchess' house. They had already strayed off the path once. He didn't want there to be a second.

Speaking of said girl, Tohru was too busy lost in her thoughts, moving her legs almost robotically as her mind struggled to alternate between her thoughts and the present. Her crystal eyes were blue and glazed, obviously upset over something.

She hadn't understood why Hatori had lied to her. Everyone had their secrets, the things that are most private to every other individual out there. She understood that, but to lie to her face? It wasn't like him at all. Not like the Hatori she knows.

A distant whoosh of air brushed against her face, clearing the glaze from her eyes.

She blinked. Once. Twice, before focusing her gaze on the frantic bird hovering before her in the rain. "...Fen?" her feet came to a stop.

"Tohru! I've been calling your name over and over!" he cried, swooping back under the cover of the umbrella. His worried gaze met her confused one as he shook his ruffled feathers like a wet dog, closing his eyes and releasing the sigh he had been holding.

Tohru glanced at the shaking bird and watched as his chest raised and dropped with a row of uncanny sighs, each holding a different frustrated tone on its release. "Sorry," she blurted suddenly, pulling the wet bird in for a hug. "I didn't mean to worry you, Hatori just surprised me, that's all..."

Fen flushed and hid his face in her shoulder at her sudden action. "K-Keh, don't worry about it." He mumbled before pulling away. "But I was waiting for you to stop 'cos look," he pointed off into the far distance.

The trees were slimmer there and in between the thin brush sat a petite brown house made entirely from wood.

"Whose house is that?" she peeked her head out from under the cover.

"The Duchess' of course," he grimaced. "Who else could it be?"

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 30th May 2014

**Words:** 582

**Symm:** Gosh, I was only gone for three days and look; the views went from 301 to 690! Why do they only rise when I'm away. It's like God's telling me off for something, I swear. Anyway, I'M BACK and had a lovely time ;)

Thanks for the follows and favourites **Breezesong24, KierantheShinigami **& **ScaryGhostStory!**


	28. Emerging Bush

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: Emerging Bush<strong>

Tohru inspected the house in awe, diverting her steps from off the path. The wooden house sat comfortably between the thinning trees, and a smoke trail puffed out around intervals from the stone chimney jutting out through the structured roof. The smoke crawled roughly through the canopy of the trees, smouldering amongst the pouring rain as it continued down on them.

Closer up the house appeared to be more of a cottage than anything, structured neatly to fit below the trees and to use their cover as a shelter and wind-stop. But the exterior of the roof was rotted and slippery in some corners due to the dripping raindrops that had escaped between the leaves and branches above.

Tohru's eyes stopped on a figure sitting on a wet rock, his posture bent forward with a crooked back, wearing tatters of cloth for clothing. His face was young but his body looked ragged, neither parts fitting well with one another.

Tohru stepped towards the man to partake in conversation when a sharp rustling caught her off. She whipped around at the sight of a shaking bush as Fen hopped off her shoulder and ushered her behind a nearby tree.

She held her breath, gripping the rail of her umbrella tightly as a foot emerged from the bush, followed shortly by a leg and a body. The man on the rock turned his head in the direction of the sound, completely missing Tohru's poorly concealed body behind the tree.

The man from the bush pulled out a sheer white envelope and handed it to the younger one sitting comfortably on the rock. "For the Duchess," he handed it over, "an invitation from the Queen to play croquet."

The crooked man on the rock nodded, skimming his fingers across the envelope. "Does it include a date?" he inquired, crossing his ankles over one another.

"Yes, it's a few week from now."

"A few weeks?" he repeated, leaning back on the slippery rock with a huff. "Why so long?"

The other man shrugged like it wasn't his business. "You know what the Red Queen is like, she hates it when her..._guests_ are late." He muttered before bowing and departing back through the bush.

Tohru felt Fen's clawed feet dig into the flesh of her shoulder at the sound of the Queen's name, making her wince involuntarily from the pinch. She dared a look at her bird friend only to find his shaking slightly, keeping his wings tucked in as he tried to control his breathing.

Tohru patted his head in a comforting way, not stopping until he calmed down. And as soon as his claws retracted from her skin she smiled, mumming quietly with a smile, "What should we do?"

Fen nodded at the house with a shake of his feathered tail. "...Enter I suppose," he suggested before glancing at the man on the rock. "Or we could talk to _him_."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 30th May 2014

**Words:** 495

**Symm:** Here's another chapter for you all to enjoy! The previous few chapters had gone off track a bit since I was trying to distinguish a few things from the actual story, and I've also added and changed the old story in which Hatori gave her stamps instead of a charm bracelet. The whole story with the White Queen is something I'm making up as I go along because I don't have a clue on where I'm taking it or _where_ the Queen has disappeared off to! ^o^ But have faith, my friends!


	29. Dense Plates

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 29: Dense Plates<strong>

Going with the easier option Tohru crept out from her hiding spot behind the tree and wandered over to the drenched man sitting on the rock. "Um, excuse me?" she called, crouching beside him and waving her hand before his face to grab his attention.

The young man looked up at her in surprise, instinctively running his fingers across the surface of the envelope again. "Who are you?"

Tohru blanked. "A-Ah, I'm sorry, my name is-"

"That doesn't matter," Fen chirped up from behind her, flexing his claw for emphasis. "And enough with the chit chat, we are here to see the Duchess."

The man frowned, glancing back at the house and whispering, "Another visitor? Just how many more will there be?" he muttered, wringing his hands grimly.

"Um," Tohru mumbled, clearing her throat. "T-This is the Duchess' house, yes?" her eyes drifted to the envelope in his hands. "And you said something about a visitor. Was he a rabbit..?"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, weighing the girl up. "How do you know of this?"

Tohru's eyes lightened. "Ah! He is! I-I have something of his that he dropped-"

"Never mind," the man cut her off, standing from his rock. "Yes, this is the Duchess' house but she's busy right now. I wouldn't enter if I were you, not with that racket." He pointed at the house and the three of them strained their ears, hearing the sudden rumblings and shouts coming from inside the house. "They're making so much noise in there so probably won't hear you."

Tohru nodded, jumping at the sound of a plate smashing followed by a painful howl. She looked at Fen with fear in her eyes before darting them back to the house when a chorus of loud sneezes rattled the windows. "I don't think we should go in yet..."

Fen nudged her arm when she began to lower it with each frightened jump, accidentally pulling away his cover from the rain. He ruffled his tail feathers and pulled her arm back up, glaring at the man before them. "He said we shouldn't go in, but didn't say that we _weren't_ allowed." He grinned menacingly.

Tohru sweat-dropped. She looked at the man and said, "W-Will you let us in?"

"No." He replied sharply, curling his lip back.

She stepped back in surprise. "Why?"

"Because I don't want to risk getting caught in the noise. Who knows what they're doing inside," he gripped the envelope. "But I'm not stopping you. Here, give this to the Duchess if you're going in," he handed her the white paper. "I doubt I'll be going inside any time soon. Maybe I'll try going in later tonight-"

Tohru half listened to him as her attention was drawn to the door, gasping when it was yanked open and a large plate came skimming out aiming straight for the young man. She opened her mouth to warn him but the plate was too quick; it grazed past the tip of his nose and crashed into the tree behind, shattering to pieces before her very eyes.

Fen squawked in surprise, losing a few feathers in his panic.

"-or maybe I could go in tomorrow."

The two of them stared at the young man as if he'd grown another head. One word floated into her head at the blank expression on the man's face; he acted as if nothing had happened, speaking his thoughts out loud as his nose began to turn red.

_'Dense,'_ she thought. This man was dense.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 30th May 2014

**Words:** 600

**Symm:** Here's the last chapter for today! Please review if you have the chance, I'd appreciate the feedback ;) Thanks for all the support and for reading the story guys!


	30. Smoked Pepper

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 30: Smoked Pepper<strong>

Tohru sighed and slipped the envelope into her pocket. She edged closer and raised the umbrella over the man to give him some cover from the rain, knowing too well how it felt to come down with a cold. "Well, thanks anyway," she handed him the leaf and took off towards the house, surprising Fen at the sudden burst of speed.

The man watched her go, glancing up at his new cover in confusion. "...What is this for?"

Tohru swallowed a giggled and looked back. "It's called an umbrella. I'm lending it to you until I come back," she said as the man nodded in thought, gently prodding the handle of the strange object.

Once they were out of ear shot and under the cover of the roof Fen hopped off her shoulder and whispered, "Why did you give him our umbrella?"

She shrugged, raising a hand to knock on the door. "He was getting wet-"

"He was _already_ wet."

Tohru winced, "I-I was only trying to lighten his mood, Fen. I'm sorry for taking away our cover," she hid her scowl, not liking the way his eyes bore into the back of her head.

There was a pause of silence as Tohru held her arm raised before the door, hovering her hand in front of the handle. She knocked again.

"Tohru," Fen sighed as he shoved his beak into the crack of the door. "There's no point in knocking, it'll just go unheard with all the noise they're making inside." He muttered, nudging the door open with his head. "Come on," he shuffled in.

Tohru looked back at the man, laughing at his amused expression as he twirled the leaf-umbrella intently, ruffling the tips as the rain fell off in a flurried circle.

"_Tohru._"

"A-Ah, sorry Fen!" she hurried through the door and closed it behind, blinking at the sudden darkness.

Fen took the lead and led her through a short passage lit by torches hanging from the wall, sooner opening up into a kitchen. He pushed the door open with his talon, instantly regretting it when a ball of smoke released itself from the open gap, covering the pair in soot and pepper.

Tohru coughed as the smell hit her, irritating her nose and eyes. She wafted away at it with a grimace, grabbing Fen by his tail feathers and hiding him against her chest to stop him from inhaling any more of the black substance. (It was a safety precaution. Everyone knows that animals are the first to die in smoke, right?)

She moved further into the room and stopped as the smoke grew thinner. She blinked. Standing in the centre of the room stood a woman who looked to be a cook, stirring away at a cauldron-sized tub which seemed to be filled with some sort of toxic soup.

"Blast it!" she suddenly roared, throwing down her ladle. "There's too much pepper in the soup!"

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><p><strong>Posting<strong> **Date: **6th June 2014

**Words:** 500

**Symm:** The lack of updates is because I've had exams all week, so sorry about that. My next one isn't until next Wednesday, and I'm off today since I've practically finished school. So keep an eye out for more updates over today and the weekend ;)

Thanks for the favourites and follows **Loves-L-Always007** and **Lady Cadaver!**


	31. Mad Cooks

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 31: Mad Cooks<strong>

Tohru stared at the cook for a moment, sending a quizzical look at her bird friend before stepping forward, blinking her eyes at the attacking smoke. "Excuse me," she whispered, taking another step. "Is Momiji here-?"

"DO NOT SPEAK OF THAT BLASTED RABBIT!" the cook hollered with a snarl, throwing a wet spoon at her.

Tohru shrieked and ducked down into a crouch, hearing the splatter of the spoon hitting the wall behind her as the flecks of soup caught on the trim of her dress. She heard Fen caw into her shoulder, pecking at the soup splatters matted into the material.

"_Bleh!_ Way too much pepper," he shook his head, clapping his beak together to rid of the taste.

Tohru placed a hand over his beak, shushing him with a whimper. "D-Don't, she might hear!"

Fen rolled his eyes and nudged her hand away. "Yeah, she was supposed to," he jumped off her lap. He raised his head at the sound of a sneeze from somewhere back in the room, heard distantly beneath the cook's rumbles as she stabbed at the thickening soup with a pepper pot. He inclined his head back and ushered Tohru over. "Come on, let's go find your friend." He moved further in to the smoke.

Tohru stumbled after him, wiping away the smears on her dress with a frown. They strengthened the gap between themselves and the maddened cook, passing the swirls of smoke rising in clumps towards the ceiling in their wake. A few more sneezes later, Tohru found herself in a thicker patch of smoke, edging back towards the familiarity of the wall.

She had lost Fen.

With a shaking hand Tohru reached across the wall for a window, curling her fingers around the handle in relief and pushing it open. The smoke crawled towards the open gap, slowly filtering out and clearing the room swirl by swirl.

"There you are!" she smiled as her eyes landed on his form, rushing over to pick him up. "I thought I lost you!"

"And just who might you be?" a different voice spoke.

She whirled around, tightening her grip around Fen. "A-Ah..."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 6th June 2014

**Words:** 363

**Symm:** I wanted to update a lot more chapters today but I'm just not really feeling it. I think the stress of the exams has flattened my brain because I feel too tired to do anything. So I'm gonna take a break and then come back to it tomorrow so I can restart the flow again with an earlier night tonight. Sorry about that, see you all tomorrow!


	32. Unmatched

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 32: Unmatched<strong>

"That's none of your business," Fen barked from his perch on her shoulder. His feathered brows had pulled down into an angered line, arching his beady eyes upwards as a scowl formed on his face.

The new person huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms over her bulky chest. "Well. It is my business when you barge into my house uninvited," she retorted with a sly grin.

Tohru looked back and forth between the pair, noting the heated glances they shot at one another, trying to have a silent argument. "P-Please, that wasn't intentional." She spoke, waving her shaking hands. "If anyone is to blame it's me. I came here looking for my friend-"

"_What friend_?" she cut her off sharply.

Tohru paused. When she had told the cook Momiji's name she had grown angered and thrown a spoon at her. She dared a glance up, instantly retreating at the woman's hardened gaze. Would she throw something at her too?

Her eyes draped her form, pulling back on the previous thought. _No, she doesn't look the type_, she thought. Her skin was a milky white, matching the fair complexion of her narrowed cheekbones and high raised lips. They were dusted with pink, showing the plumpness of her upper lip. Even her hair was neat, curled up into a high bun where loose spirals fell effortlessly down her slender neck.

She was beautiful.

But one thing that didn't match her hour-glass figure was the ragged trim of her extravagant dress. It flopped lifelessly at her feet, dragging in the dusty carpet as she moved closer. For one who appeared of high nobility, it didn't match.

Her lips moved into a frown when she said, "Hello? Are you going to answer my question?"

Her tone didn't match either. It came out rough and raw, belonging to that of a chatterbox- the type of person who just _couldn't_ shut up nor keep their nose out of other people's business.

"Yes."

The woman's brows shot up a fraction of a second at the abruptness of her reply, mirroring the slits of grey as they swirled rapidly in her eyes. "Then go ahead."

Tohru nodded briefly. "I came here looking for-" she took a sharp breath, relaying her true intentions, "-Momiji."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th June 2014

**Words:** 390

**Symm:** I slept in till almost eleven this morning. I was more tired than I thought yesterday and am glad, because I feel much more awake today! :D Yay! More chapters coming your way ;)

Thanks for the favourite and follow **KelseyZircher!**


	33. Solid Soup

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 33: Solid Soup<strong>

The woman froze.

The cook's continuing rumbles could be heard above the longing silence as she threw more pepper into the pot, stabbing away at the solid mixture with a fork. Whatever she had added in hadn't mixed right for it looked like a slab of concrete- one which Tohru wasn't looking forward to eat if offered.

The amount of cooking utensils lost among the mixture was impeccable, already becoming hidden underneath the solid block of toxic soup.

Trying to move the conversation on Tohru explained further, "H-He dropped something of his and I m-merely came here to return them." She stuttered quickly, jerking her hands from her pockets to reveal the forgotten fan and gloves. "Oh! And there's one other thing," she fished out the crisp, white envelope and handed that over too.

The woman took them without a thanks, eyeing them strangely before drawing her eyes back to the girl. "...These are my gloves," she slipped them on, "and this is my fan." She opened it out and flapped away at the remaining smoke sticking low to the ground. "How did you acquire this?" her eyes hardened.

Tohru shivered at her intense stare, backing down. "M-Momiji dropped them. I heard him say they were for you when he left them accidentally." Which was the rabbit's intentions in the first place, not that Tohru knew.

"_Momiji_ you say," she mumbled, picking at the frills on her fan. "Well, I asked him to deliver them for me because the Queen is holding a croquet game in a couple of weeks, one which I must practice for," she placed a hand to her chin. "The letter you gave me is obviously from the Queen, an invite in fact." She smirked, waving the envelope in her face. "I am the Duchess!"

"Oh, well, is he still here?"

"NO!" snapped the cook as she lifted the large cauldron off the fire and tipped it on its side, shoving the slab of solid soup onto the carpet. It shattered upon contact, covering the fibres in thick chunks of sizzling food.

The Duchess snapped her head in the direction of the cook, tightening her grip on her fan. "Oh! Look at this mess!" she said bewildered, picking up her skirt and rushing over. "If I was in the right state of mind I'd have fired you by now!"

The cook muttered a snarky comment under her breath before reaching for a stack of plates, taking the first few on top and pushing her legs into a defensive stance.

The Duchess caught on easily, releasing her dress and raising her fan. "You _dare_." She warned.

The cook let out an inhuman roar and flung the plates from her hand, rolling them off like a conveyer belt as the Duchess threw her fan, hitting the cook directly in the face. "BRING IT YOU FAKE WITCH!"

Tohru almost fainted.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th June 2014

**Words:** 490

**Symm:** I haven't managed to hit the 600 mark yet dead on without any editing. I got 600 in a previous one, but that was only because I had to add in bits on the look-over. I've come so close before but haven't managed to get a chapter dead on 600 words! When I type big paragraphs I think, _'Oh no! I hope I haven't gone past the 600 mark!'_ but when I upload it on here it only reaches just over 400 which sucks. I have really crap insight.


	34. Crockery Fight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 34: Crockery Fight<strong>

A flurry of bowls and cups were thrown across the hall, smashing into the walls and floor with venom flowing from the owners.

Tohru had hidden under the table during this time after a fork was wedged into the wall, narrowly missing her face. She didn't want to be part of another incident, not when her life was on the line. With a quivering hand she lifted the table cloth that obstructed her view, gasping as another plate hit the ground by her knees.

The cook had proceeded to putting a saucepan over her head, using the trash bin lid as a shield from the oncoming assault of the Duchess who seemed to be throwing whatever she could in her reach.

"YOU BETTER STOP, COOK!" she roared, anger drenching her tone. "OTHERWISE I'LL GET THE RED QUEEN TO BEHEAD YOU!" she threw a spoon.

The cook didn't even flinch. "SHE'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!"

Tohru looked back at Fen finding him in stitches as he rocked on his back, laughing at the pair of grownups lost in the throwing frenzy. The Duchess was enraged, that was for sure. Her perfect hair was slowly becoming loose from the petite bun, leaving scraggy strands to stick to her sweaty neck and cheeks.

She jumped as a shower of plates and bowls landed her way, shattering into fragments of glass and ceramic. Tohru edged back, pulling down the table cloth for more cover. "Please stop! There's no need to throw your pots and pans at one another!" she yelled from under the table, almost going unheard below the cook's threatening cries.

"Oh, _please_ don't bother." The Duchess didn't even look at her. "This has nothing to do with you!"

Tohru shuffled back until her feet his the table legs with a bump. Her knees pulled up as she curled herself into a tiny ball and slowly edged her way out, keeping an eye out for any flying cutlery going her way. Once she was out Tohru grabbed the table for support, wiping her clammy forehead with the back of her hand. "This is crazy!" she gasped, untangling Fen from the table cloth. "What do we do!?"

Fen shook his wings, giving her a shrug. "We could go find your friend, I guess. He's bound to be in the house somewhere." That's if he hasn't left already.

"But what if-?"

"Never mind them, they're too busy arguing to notice you gone." He led the way, taking a sharp turn from the kitchen.

Another fork wedged itself into the wall beside her, making her jump and move hurriedly after the bird. Anywhere was better than here, that was for sure.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th June 2014

**Words:** 457

**Symm:** So, I just made my own chicken nuggets and for some reason I feel really smug about it :3 I don't have a clue on whether they're going to taste right or not so I've left the first tasting up to my dad. When he gets poisoned-ah, I mean, _if_ he gets poisoned, then I'll know not to try them! XD


	35. Mother Duchess

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 35: Mother Duchess<strong>

_"Speak roughly to your boy, and beat him when he sneezes. He only does it to annoy you, because he knows it teases!"_

Tohru quickened her pace at the Duchess' strange song, not liking where it was heading. She took after Fen and hurried around the corner, walking a few more steps before stopping as her eyes trailed after Fen when he took flight.

_"Wow! Wow! Wow!"_ the cook chorused after the Duchess as another plate broke back in the kitchen.

Tohru sighed, pushing her legs back into action as the eagle perched himself before one of the many doors, pecking his beak against the frame.

"Let's try this door," he suggested, poking his head through the gap.

Tohru followed suit, rushing over to catch up. He was going too far ahead. "W-Wait for me, Fen!" she called, pushing the door open.

Miraculously, kneeling behind the door was Momiji. However he was no longer in his Zodiac form, showing off the sudden growth spurt he had had during their time apart.

"Momiji!" Tohru gushed, stumbling over her own feet as she raced towards the rabbit. She reached her arms out, wanting to hug him but froze, realising her mistake. "Ah, sorry, I keep forgetting about that," she blushed, pulling back. She knelt beside him instead, eyeing the sleeping girl in the bed. "W-What's Momo doing here?"

Momiji smiled sincerely, patting her hand. "This is my mother's house," he replied grimly, resting his gaze on his sister. "Didn't you notice the resemblance between myself and the Duchess?" he frowned.

_"I speak severely to my boy, I beat him when he sneezes. For he can enjoy the pepper when he pleases!"_

Why hadn't she noticed before? They both had a fair complexion, having similar hair colour- yet she hadn't put two and two together. The only thing that was different were their eyes. The Duchess' were a hard grey, holding anger deep inside them- too much for a woman of her age. Whereas Momiji's were a light brown, matching nicely with his light hair and smile.

"We were kind of preoccupied with their argument to notice," Fen chirped up, casting a glance back at the door where the sounds of smashing plates could be heard.

Momiji's eyes glazed over for a moment as he took in Fen's form, not recognising him. "Who are you?" he stood with precaution.

Fen scoffed. "None of-"

"This is Fen, he helped me find you," Tohru supplied, sending the bird a wary look.

_"Wow! Wow! Wow!"_

Momiji nodded solemnly, ruffling his pale locks. "I'm glad that you're here," his lips perked up into a half smile. "I was wondering when you were gonna arrive 'cos I didn't know if you would find the way or not..."

"Ah! Hatori told me the way!" she grinned, matching his wide smile.

Momiji ran a hand over Momo's sleeping head before saying, "I guess he told you then."

"Of course he did!" Fen barked, drawing the attention back to him. "I was the one who brought her to him after you left." He growled, hopping from one foot to the other. "She nearly drowned in confetti!"

Momiji raised a brow while Tohru shushed him, not wanting to wake Momo up. He suddenly fell to his knees, his eyes widening in shock. "I-I'm so sorry Tohru! I didn't mean to leave you, I just didn't know how else to get you to Wonderland!" he blubbered, clutching at her dress. "I'm sorry!"

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th June 204

**Words:** 600

**Symm:** I GOT DEAD ON 600 WORDS! WAHOOOOO! _*imaginary clapping*_ Thank you, thank you!

_**"Well done Symm!"**_

_**"Ah, thank you imaginary guest reader!"** *bows*_

That's all for today! So I'll see you all in the next update! (Please ignore my random encouragement)


	36. Forgiven

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 36: Forgiven<strong>

Tohru stared down at the boy in disbelief, seeing a whole different context behind his words.

He had lied to her.

No one had ever done that before.

Her smile faltered at the Zodiac's sorrowful expression. His tearful eyes gazed warily into her own, begging her to forgive him.

She should accept his apology and get this over with...but was it right? She had treated Momiji like the brother she had always wanted, always helping him out and going along with his wishes. But he had lied to her.

_This might not have been the only time since I got here,_ she thought, shaking her head. _Had he dropped the Duchess' items on purpose so she would follow him? Was this his plan from the start?_

Her eyes drifted down as she forced herself not to reach out and hug the blubbering rabbit. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds of his saddening sobs as they rocked through him, leaving him a quivering mess on the floor.

_No, I'm not that type of person._

Discarding her thoughts Tohru dropped to the ground beside the boy and pulled him in for a hug, gripping his solid form for mere seconds before his skin was replaced by fur.

_Poof!_ The settling smoke appeared out of thin air, covering the pair in white as Momiji's transformation finished.

She hugged the rabbit tighter, clutching his small body tighter as her own tears threatened to escape. She opened her eyes. "...I forgive you," she whispered, caressing his head as another sob shook his tiny chest. "It's alright, there's no need to cry."

Momiji flattened his ears against the base of his neck, forcing his tears back. "I-I'm sorry Tohru, I never meant for you to get in trouble. I just didn't know what to do!"

Tohru nodded, seeming to understand his motives. "I know," she patted his head. "Just don't lie to me again, OK? I would prefer you to speak to me truthfully next time without having to trick me into following you somewhere," she placed him down. "So dry your tears."

"T-Thank you," he sniffled, wiping his nose with a paw. "You're a great friend."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 12th June 2014

**Words:** 377

**Symm:** I forgot to mention in the previous chapter that the weird song the Duchess and Cook sing is actually from the proper book. I didn't make it up, it's too weird. But I felt like putting it in XD

Thanks for the review **DaydreamingDuma!**


	37. Oblivious Rabbits

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket!

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><p><strong>Chapter 37: Oblivious Rabbits<strong>

Unsettling minutes passed by, each one dragging slower than the previous as they waited for Momiji to finally settle down.

Tohru had felt guilty for not accepting the boy's apology sooner, regretting her past thoughts at the sight of his puffy eyes. His golden fur had become bedraggled and his ears hung lifelessly beside his head, twitching silently at the noises echoing from the kitchen.

"...So," Fen coughed innocently, shooting a look between the pair. "Can we go now?"

Tohru shook her head, sending him a questioning look. "W-We're not even done here, Fen. We need to help Momiji with his problem!" she replied, her eyes wide with confusion.

The eagle held her gaze for a moment before twisting his beak begrudgingly, releasing a bored sigh. "Then hurry up and ask him, we haven't got all day." He grumbled.

She raked a shaking hand through her grimy hair, wondering when she last had a wash. "Never mind," she focused back on the rabbit, sending him a reassuring smile. "Momiji, what can I help you with?"

The rabbit looked at her through his glazed eyes as he processed her words, waking suddenly from his stupor. "O-Oh!" he wiped his nose with the back of his paw, flicking his tail in thought. "Well, I'm not too sure. If I knew what my problem was in the beginning then I would have fixed it by now, but that's why you're here. You need to figure it out yourself," he gave her an innocent look.

"Great," Fen scoffed. "Tohru is the new _'Problem Nanny'_."

"N-Nanny?" she choked, flexing her fingers.

The bird scanned her body up and down, making her feel conscious about her looks. "Wow, you learn something new everyday."

A blush surfaced its way to Tohru's cheeks, leaving her to stand uncomfortably between the pairs of eyes watching her every move. "Enough, _Fen_, help me figure this out," she covered her face to hide her blush.

Momiji laughed at her sudden movement, patting the floor with his paws. "Don't get so upset, he's only joking," he smiled before shooting a hidden glare at the bird.

Tohru nodded, rubbing her cheeks in an attempt to rid of the flush that stained her cheeks. "L-Let's change the subject," she whined, perching herself on a nearby chair. "Momiji is our main priority."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 24th June 2014

**Words:** 402

**Symm:** My exams are FINALLY over!

Thanks for the follows **DemonHeart42, Wrterchica22, Kira DelCastillo!**

Thanks for the review **Kira DelCastillo!**


	38. You're No Son of Mine

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 38: You're No Son of Mine<strong>

Thundering footsteps boomed down the corridor, heading straight for Momo's occupied room. The owner of the feet stared menacingly at the closed door, hearing the muffled voices echoing from within. A loud knock rattled the door before a hand burst through the painted wood, piercing a hole through the hard centre.

The onlookers froze in their spots, swapping a flurry of shocked looks and whimpers as the hand retracted silently from the inverted hole, leaving the remaining wood to peel and splinter away.

The Duchess' head appeared through the inhuman gap, meeting the eagle's petrified eyes. Her face looked drawn and tired, lighting the heavy bags under her eyes as she bared her teeth like a dog, wrenching the door open by its handle. It seemed that her fight with the cook was over.

"_Momiji,_" she stalked into the room, casting a dark shadow over their shocked faces.

The rabbit flinched at the sound of his name, recognising her tone all too well. She was pissed. "M-Mother-"

The Duchess levelled his timid gaze with a hard glare, reaching up to yank a hidden fork from her blonde, tangled mess of hair. "What. Did. You. _Say?_" she spat, gripping the bending fork with a shaking hand. "Who would want a _TWISTED boy_ with the curse to change into a _pathetic rabbit _for a _SON!?_" she yelled, dropping the fork to the ground with a growl. "You're not my son! Momo is my only child-"

"P-Please stop!" Tohru stood from her chair, taking a quivering step forward. "Can't you see that you're upsetting him?" she cried, pointing at the shivering boy standing before his sister's bed to try and push some sense into the woman. "You're treating him like dirt!"

"THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!" she shouted at Tohru before rushing towards Momiji. She raised her hand in a flash and brought it down with enough power to break a glass vase, "YOU'RE NOT MY SON!"

Fen flinched at the resounding _'slap'_ as it sounded loud and clear. He looked at the rabbit in shock to see the damage, but found nothing of it.

Momiji had collapsed to his knees, prepping himself for the slap when a figure had thrown themselves between the pair, taking the hit for him. He whimpered timidly, throwing a frantic look back in hopes that it hadn't been Momo.

She was still asleep.

"...T-Tohru!" the rabbit twisted around in search of his saviour, finding her lying a few feet away, holding her cheek with numb hands.

The Duchess stumbled back, staring numbly at her reddened hand. "...This is all your fault," she whispered, directing her statement at the boy. "Your friend wouldn't have been hurt if you had taken the blow-!"

"Enough!"

All eyes landed on the girl lying awkwardly on the wooden floor, nursing her throbbing cheek as she spoke. "No more," she shook her head, looking over at Fen with pleading eyes.

He hopped from his perch and glided over, landing neatly beside her feet with only a few feathers out of place. "She's right," he squawked, digging his claw into the floor. "You've gone too far. What kind of parent would hit their own child for telling the truth?"

She didn't answer, finding the floor more interesting as she gazed at the leftover splinters littering the ground. This wasn't her fault, none of it was. It was the boy's. He walked into her life, disrupting their livelihood, claiming to be her son. Nonsense!

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 29th June 2014

**Words:** 599

**Symm:** I have my first prom in 15 days and I'm kind of scared. No way am I dancing, 'cos that's not my thing. Sitting there and being quiet is most likely what I'll do, and I might even capture one of my friends and make them stay with me so I don't look like a complete loner, haha!


	39. Banter, Banter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 39: Banter, Banter!<strong>

"I wouldn't know," she said smugly, regaining her composure. "Any child of mine would never lie, not that it's an issue..." she chortled, covering her mouth with her hand in a lady-like manner.

Fen's jaw tightened as the woman's laughter rose, bouncing off the walls in a variety of pitches that pierced his sensitive ears. "Will you quit acting so high and mighty? It's not helping the issue!" he barked, flapping his agitated wings.

"What more would you expect from a _Duchess_?" she retorted, hiding her smile.

"A positive attitude would help!"

"Oho, aren't I nice enough for you?"

"_N-Nice?_ You haven't spoken a friendly word to us since our arrival! You are a shrewd and impossible person to get along with-!"

"Oh please, stop your banter bird, I don't have time for this-"

"That's right!" Fen pushed himself from the ground, flapping his wings wildly to hover in her line of vision. "You never have any free time, not even for your children!" he growled, hitting a nerve.

"Shut that beak of yours eagle before I shut it for you," the Duchess spat, deepening the argument while the onlookers sat in silence, contemplating on a solution for the situation.

Meanwhile, the figure on the bed turned beneath the heated covers, gripping the flouncy pillow as the ramblings grew louder. She sat up, opening her mouth as a yawn took over. "...Mama?" Momo said with a dazed look, rubbing her eyes wearily.

The Duchess cut across to the girl, suddenly forgetting her argument with Fen for the moment. "Oh, Momo! I'm sorry, did I wake you?" her voice deepened as her motherly instincts sprouted over her features.

With all the commotion going on Tohru decided to use it to her advantage. She pushed herself from the ground while the others grew distracted with the trembling child, hiking up her shoes. With a rushed sigh the girl heaved herself up, stretching her jaw in an attempt to dull the increasing pain in her cheek.

As a child, she had never been smacked. Whether it was because her mother couldn't spend a lot of time with her due to work, she didn't know. But with such force wasn't necessary. Did the Duchess hit her children regularly? And if so, with such force?

If it were true, then the bruises would be astonishing.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 4th July 2014

**Words:** 405

**Symm:** For those of you who don't know, banter is another word for chit-chat. It's a term meaning: 'a heated conversation which becomes irrelevant'. Thanks for reading!

I would like to say a BIG thank you to **leafa-chansao30** for reviewing _every single chapter!_ So thanks a lot, I really appreciate the support and views! ;) I'm glad you're enjoying my story. And thanks for the follow!

Thanks for following **AnimeFairy777!**

Thanks for the review and follow **Miketsukami-kun!**


	40. Momojo

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 40: Momojo<strong>

Momo peered shyly through her short blonde locks, glancing around in blur with her frightened golden eyes. She mumbled something to her mother, tugging lightly on the loose strands of the Duchess' bun.

From what Tohru could remember, Momo was only three-years-old and could hardly speak a word of Japanese. A situation such as this _would_ be frightening for such a young girl to handle, especially with strangers in her house.

With a frail smile Tohru made her way over to the crowded bed, ushering Fen from her shoulder. Momo locked eyes with her as Tohru widened her smile, sending her a tiny wave of her hand. "Hello," she said sweetly, kneeling beside the bed.

Momo rubbed her eyes tiredly, looking back at the Duchess with confused eyes. "Mama?"

The Duchess gave Tohru a brief look before nodding to her daughter, reassuring her with a gently pat on the head.

Momo glanced back at Tohru, clutching her pastel sheets as she mumbled out a reply, struggling to form the proper word. "H-H...Hall-loo..." she whispered, hiding beneath her puffy fringe.

Tohru slipped out a giggle, nodding at the child. "Yes!" she clapped her hands, congratulating the girl to give her more confidence. "Ne, Momiji," she whispered, gesturing for the rabbit to hop over. "Come speak to your sister."

The rabbit shook his head, twitching his ears rapidly. "I-I can't! She doesn't know about the Zodiac curse!" he whined, backing further beneath the bed frame. "...She doesn't know we're siblings."

"Hm," she hummed, glancing up at her hovering companion. "Let me try something," she grinned, grabbing Fen by the feet.

The eagle gave a sharp squawk, surprised to find himself suddenly dangling upside down from Tohru's fingers. "H-Hey! What are you doing!?" he yelped, flapping his wings wildly as he tried to pry himself from her grip. The abrupt movement upturned his hidden feathers, revealing the secret array of blue beneath that Tohru had seen upon their first meeting. "Oi! Don't go showing my feathers to strangers!" he cawed, pecking at her fingers.

Tohru shot him a blank look, shaking her finger to rattle the bird.

"T-The blood is rushing to my head!" he cried, whipping it back and forth to rid of the tingling feeling. "T-Tohru-!"

Momo giggled at the bird's frantic actions, releasing the blanket from her clutches. The Duchess shook her head with a displeased sigh, covering her face with her hands.

With both females distracted Tohru hurriedly kicked the bed frame, signalling for Momiji to change.

A gentle puff of smoke slowly drifted its way up from underneath the bed, confusing the pair momentarily while Momiji resurfaced from his hiding place, dusting himself down just in time before the smoke vanished.

Tohru released Fen with a satisfied smirk. He flapped his wings with clenched claws, shooting her a hurtful look as he swooped over the bed and perched himself above the curtain pole. Further away.

All eyes fixated on the boy- Momo's especially. Her mouth broadened into a grin at the sight of the Zodiac, stretching her rosy cheeks. "Momojo!" she pronounced the mixed word, reaching out to him.

Momiji ruffled her wavy hair, "Hello, Momo."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 5th July 2014

**Words:** 546

**Symm:** So here is the next chapter, hope you enjoyed! Momiji's problem will be solved soon and then Kyo will come into the picture! Thanks for reading!


	41. Broken Memories

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 41: Broken Memories<strong>

Momo broke out into a smile as she crawled across the bed covers, grappling with the sheets as she tried to reach her precious Momiji. Her fragile fingers reached out tenderly to his outstretched hand as they were a mere metre away before the Duchess wrapped a strong arm around the girl's waist and tugged her back.

With a quick motion Momo found herself standing behind her mother, seeing only the draping skirt of her dusted dress.

Momiji stared blankly at the accusing woman, clenching his fists in anger. "Why-?" he shook his head, biting his bottom lip as he broke off. "Why do you always do this to me?" his tone dropped dramatically, searing through his anger.

"What do you mean?" his mother asked innocently, levelling her heated gaze with his own.

He cradled his head in his hands, bending forward with despair. "Momo is my sister," he stated, peering through his fingers to look at her. "Yet you still try to pull her away from me!" he stood, shoving his trembling hands behind his back. "But it's not gonna work this time. I will speak to my sister!"

The Duchess broke out into a fit of laughter as it bubbled up her throat, shielding her daughter behind with a swish of her skirt. "I'm afraid not!" she hackled loudly, "like I told you before, _you're no son of mine!_"

Momiji shook his head with a defeated sigh. "You may not acknowledge me as your son, but the blood running through our veins can _never_ lie! Even if I have to take Momo away from you, I will not back down. I will never give up. Even through death, I will still pursue you until you realise it!"

A brief silence overtook the room at the rabbit's outburst. All eyes were on the heaving Zodiac as he shook with fury, his short, golden fringe concealing his closed eyes. His blood ran cold at the bitterness of his mother's words, bringing forth a feeling he had felt many times before. Pain.

Although his mother's memories of him had been erased, his continuous visits to the infuriating woman had sparked some recognition from back then. Little by little she had begun to remember, but those memories had not been his good points. He knew that she felt hateful towards him, he could see it in her eyes. It was always there.

Even when the forgotten feelings returned to the Duchess her emotions didn't change. All she remembered was how depressed and alone she felt. She had given birth to a freak. And when Momo was born, she was so relieved. Her child was normal. She could actually hold her and smother her with kisses. She was too precious to give away.

Momiji inhaled a breath, releasing it silently through his nose as the anger dispersed from his system, calming himself in a matter of seconds. He stared at his mother briefly, racking his brain on what to say next. A smile sprawled onto his face as he attempted something else. "..._Please_ Karla."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 8th July 2014

**Words:** 519

**Symm:** My prom yesterday was really good! I enjoyed seeing all my friends again and had a great time. They had this photo booth there which printed out the pictures in a two-by-two block row for free. I tried to go in there as much as I could because it was so fun to do! I did not dance though, no. It's not my thing! (/^.^)/

Thanks for reviewing **leafa-chansao30** and **Aeternus Rosa!**

Thanks for the favourite **guinealuv17!**


	42. Karla

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 42: Karla<strong>

The Duchess' eyes softened as soon as the words left his mouth. How the child knew her name, she didn't know. It wasn't something she gave out when asked, only being known as the Duchess by others. The last person who had spoken her real name had been her husband, who unfortunately passed away a few years ago. She shook her head, looking up at the ceiling. "Five years," she whispered, lowering her tensed shoulders. "I haven't heard that name in over _five years_." She turned towards the boy, staring blankly at his face as a question cropped into mind. "How did you know?"

"Easy," Momiji smiled, wiping his watery eyes. "You're my mother, how could I not know." He swallowed the lump in his throat.

With a few hurried steps Karla swept across the room and forced a hug on the shocked rabbit, squeezing him tighter before the resounding noise of a _poof_ went off.

Tohru couldn't stop the startled gasp that escaped her lips as the scene rolled out before her, shocking the others with the Duchess' sudden change of emotion.

"Momiji," Karla spoke his name for the first time in months, cradling the small rabbit to her chest. "I'm sorry my child. I should have treated you better. I apologize for not being there for you," she suddenly cried. "But I was so scared! The child I had carried for nine months transformed into an animal before my very eyes. I couldn't even hold him like a normal mother should!" she wept, burying her face in his fur.

Tohru knelt down, ushering Momo over with a gentle hand. "Here, can you understand me?" she whispered, holding the girl's hand. "Momiji is your brother."

Momo's eyes lit up. "Momojo...brodur..?" she smiled, bouncing with glee. "M-Momojo! Momojo brodur!" she giggled happily, tugging on her mother's dress. "Mama! Momojo!" she hugged them both with her tiny arms. "Family!"

Tears sprung to Tohru's eyes at the little girl's words. She understood. Her speech wasn't very good, but her intentions were clear.

Momiji sobbed against his mother's chest, clinging onto her dress with his claws. "D-Do you really want me?"

Karla froze. "Silly boy, of course I do!" she sniffled, holding him tighter. "Things haven't worked out very well and _I know_. I'm the one to blame," her expression cracked as the tears came flooding out. "I'm so sorry Momiji!"

Tohru tapped the woman's shoulder, sending her a supportive smile. "I'm happy for you, I really am. And I know that it might seem hard at first, but you have plenty of time to work on your relationship. Having Momiji around more will help Momo improve her speech and they can finally act like real siblings!"

Karla took a deep breath. "Yes, thank you so much," she released her son, giving Momo a gentle pat on the head before she stood. "I want to apologize to you as well-"

"Tohru Honda."

Fen choked on his words.

"Yes, Tohru Honda-" Karla cut herself off mid-apology. No wonder the bird had choked, she had just blatantly told the whole household who she was. "Hm, well, I did not expect that. The girl of the prophecy to be standing in my dirty house! Damn," she muttered, "I didn't have time to clean up."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 8th July 2014

**Words:** 572

**Symm:** I decided to give Momiji's mother a name seeing that she is unnamed in the anime _and_ manga. I can't really remember much about Momiji's father so that little bit about his death is made up. I thought Karla was a suitable name for his mother, what do you think? ;)


	43. Blinding Light

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 43: Blinding Light<strong>

A dumbfounded look sprawled across her face. "Y-Your...house?" Tohru asked slowly, craning her head back. She sent Fen a twisted look, gaining a similar one in return. With a raised brow Tohru reached up to scratch her head, realising how confused she had become.

Having said her name aloud without any thought was a stupid move. She knew that now, but the Duchess' reaction hadn't been what she was quite expecting. Tohru had pictured the slender woman to be blazing with anger at her deceit with clenched fists and tangled hair; skin tinged with red and crinkled with worry. But the woman hadn't uttered a single insult.

Karla's words had made Tohru felt like royalty as the woman began to busy herself with cleaning her daughter's room, dusting over the old, tatty bears sitting on the cabinet above the bed.

The prophet shook her head. She was no one special. "Karla, you don't have to do anything. It's fine, really. I won't judge you on the state of your house."

"Pfft!" Fen curled back his wings with a sharp breath. "You didn't give a damn earlier when we walked in on you using your tableware as shuriken!"

"That was because I didn't know who you were!" Karla barked back, shoving her nose in the air.

Momiji gave Tohru a lopsided smile, apologizing for his mother's roughness with the bird. She waved him away, not wanting to be rude with pointing fingers.

Fen released a strangled squawk. "You didn't even ask!"

"I was busy at the time! How was I to know that two strangers would barge into my house!?"

Momiji let out a groan as their voices grew louder, unsettling the younger sibling beside the bed. "Karla, please calm down. We have important guests in the house," he said, no later sighing when his words fell on deaf ears. "Karla. Kaarlaaa! _Mum!_" the rabbit yelled, finally giving up.

The Duchess broke away with a swift turn, looking down at the boy. "Yes, dear?"

"I-"

Tohru almost jumped from her spot as a sudden bright light erupted from her dress pocket, covering the room with a blinding white light. The Duchess released a squeak and covered her eyes, feeling weightless for a moment or so before the light broke off. All eyes were on the prophet as a scroll of paper flew from her pocket and hovered before them, unravelling itself as a subtle glow settled around it. The twelve empty boxes were revealed as the scroll began to move, turning in a slow clockwise motion.

Momiji was the first to move. With a few quick steps he hopped forward until he was directly beneath the floating paper before changing out of his animal form. He wafted away the usual smoke with a grim smile, reaching for the open scroll.

Tohru edged closer, inspecting the display over the Zodiac's shoulder with squinting eyes. The first empty box lit up, replacing the black border with gold. Tohru drew the rabbit's attention with a gentle prod on the shoulder. "What now?"

Momiji shrugged. "I-I'm not sure..." He raised his hand questioningly, poking at the glowing box as the voice in his head instructed him to do so. The golden light shot forward before the boy could gasp, encasing his finger with a swift leap.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 20th July 2014

**Words:** 568

**Symm:** I apologize for the wait. I didn't mean to update this late! I got side-tracked by True Blood- a supernatural based TV show. I haven't seen the 6th season yet, let alone the 7th! But I ordered the season and it arrived earlier than I thought. I still haven't managed to watch it yet though because I decided to watch the series right from the beginning again. I regret it. THERE ARE TOO MANY EPISODES! _(But I'm remembering little bits as I watch on!)_

Thanks for the follow and favourite **VillainsHero, IMADOLPHINLOVINGANIMEFREAK!**

Thanks for the favourite **Lawera02!**

Thanks for following **Kateeld!**

Thank you for the review **DaydreamingDuma!** It's much appreciated! ;)


	44. First Stamp

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 44: First Stamp<strong>

Tohru watched with wide eyes as Momiji traced a symbol on the chosen box with the light dragging behind, darting back and forth in a blur. With a single dot to finish it off, he removed his hand to show his work, running his eyes over the glowing rabbit imprinted in the centre of the box.

"_First stamp, complete._" A female voice echoed from within the scroll, startling everyone in the room. _"Retrieval of the Rabbit Zodiac is done."_

Snapping out of his daze, Momiji took a step back from the paper, feeling something quake within him. His rabbit ears sprouted from beneath his hair by themselves, confusing the boy.

"Ah!" Tohru cried in surprise, pointing a finger at the sudden appearance of his ears. "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Neither did I," Karla said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Momiji let out an innocent laugh, pulling on his floppy ears before he spoke. "I-I, erm. I didn't know either..." He trailed off with a cough, glancing away from their narrowed eyes.

"It's probably a side effect from the stamp being completed." Fen scoffed, diving from his perch on the curtain rail. "Momiji's problem has been solved, so the ears might be a sign of the final completion." He settled himself before the paper, hovering beside it as he looked at Tohru. "Well done, you got your first stamp." He smiled suddenly.

Tohru met his eyes, running through his words as the realisation hit her. "O-Oh! I did?" she gasped, reaching for the paper. "Fen, we did it!" she cheered, changing targets and pulling the bird in for a hug. Fen was smothered with instant heat as the girl almost squeezed the life out of him, crumpling his tail feathers with her elbow.

"T-Tohru!" he blushed, struggling to pull away. He couldn't tell if it was from the embarrassment or suffocation.

Tohru felt her cheeks heat up at her improper action, suddenly releasing the bird with a squeal. "Sorry!" she gushed, turning away to hide her heated face.

Fen fell back on the bed, landing in Momo's little lap. He rubbed his head with his wing, stuttering a reply. "N-No worries..."

Momiji eyed the situation warily before clearing his throat, cutting off the awkward moment with an embarrassed smile. "D-Did anyone else hear the paper talk?" he asked, snatching the scroll from its hover. "I thought it was strange," he rolled it back up, sliding it in Tohru's pocket. "But the voice sounded familiar somehow..."

"Who cares?" Karla asked. "What's most important is Tohru getting her next stamp. I'm sure you feel excited with your first one but you need to get a move on." She barked, nudging Fen from Momo's lap. "You have to beat the deadline."

Tohru gulped. "T-There's a deadline?" she asked as Fen yelled out in frustration.

"WHAT DEADLINE!?"

Karla froze. "Oh, weren't you told?" Their blank stares were the only answers she got. The Duchess pursed her lips, inspecting her nails with a bored stare. "Well, from what I can remember from the prophecy, you are to collect all twelve stamps in time for the Queen's croquet game. The White Queen must be brought back before then, otherwise all hell will break loose."

Momiji frowned. "How so? It's just a croquet game-"

"Whether it's a game or party, it doesn't matter." Her eyes hardened. "I-I know...I have a feeling that it's something different entirely. All of the Zodiac will be gathered, and you know how she despises them, my boy. With you all gone, she will have complete control over Wonderland and no one but the White Queen will be able to stop her. I don't trust it one bit."

Momiji waved his hand. "You're worrying too much, I'm sure everything will be fine." His eyes travelled over to Tohru. "You'll find all the stamps in time!"

Tohru nodded numbly. "R-Right..."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 20th July 2014

**Words:** 679 (Totally haven't gone over the _600 limit_)

**Symm:** So...I thought that since Tohru found her first stamp, it wasn't right to cut down the chapter to fit the limit. I-I didn't even go over that much...just _79 extra words_. Ehe, hardly anything! *sweatdrop* So...let's all be happy and congratulate Tohru! Yeah...W-Wahoo.


	45. No Time To Celebrate!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 45: No Time To Celebrate!<strong>

Karla clapped her hands with a loud slap, drawing the attention of the other occupants in the room. "A-Anyway, seeming that the first stamp has been retrieved, I believe it is time for our prophet to skedaddle!" she spoke through tight lips, wipping out her fan. "It was nice meeting you an' all, but I'm revoking my invitation." She waved Tohru away with her fan, shooting Fen a distasteful look.

"Wait, mother, what's the meaning of this?" Momiji interjected, pushing away her fan. "Can't we at least...celebrate?"

The Duchess snapped her head towards the boy, giving him the coldest stare she could muster. "_Now_ is not the time to _celebrate_," she bit out, gripping the fan until it cracked. "She has eleven more stamps to collect in only a matter of weeks, and only _Kami knows _what insolent problems there'll be! It may have only taken a few hours to fix your time rift, but the others won't be so similar." She huffed, coaxing Momo over to her bed. "They could take days. Maybe even weeks- in which Tohru doesn't have time to spare."

"But-"

"No buts!" she snarled, smothering her daughter with a blanket. "Now leave!" she yelled at the bird and human, sending them backpedalling through the bedroom door.

Momiji made to run after them but his mother growled out his name, warning him to go any further. Giving in with a defeated sigh, Momiji waved them away before returning to his sister's room to apologize for his selfishness. Tohru bowed in his wake, ushering the bird along with a gentle hand.

"Damn it!" Fen cursed once they reached the front door, ruffling his feathers agitatedly. "That woman has a split personality! First she throws plates, then screams at us, becomes nice all of a sudden right before she yells again!"

Tohru smiled half-heartedly at her friend. "I'm sure she has her reasons," she sighed, stepping through the door. "There's no point complaining, what's done is done." She said, leaving the door agape behind. Fen shook his head, muttering to himself as they exited the house.

The sky had cleared up leaving white clouds in place of the darker ones which had brought along the rain. The trees creaked and groaned as the remaining drops of rain ran along their branches towards the wavering leaves, dropping to the ground at their feet. Sitting lonesome by a dry rock sat Tohru's wet umbrella, holding a stream of water as it rushed from the rims. But the man she had leant it to was no where to be seen.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 23rd July 2014

**Words:** 443

**Symm:** I realised that I've changed the plot completely comparing to the first edition before the edit. Back then, I didn't have a clue on where the story was going! I'm not the type to plan stuff before hand, I just come up with it as I type. I think that's why it takes a long time to update sometimes. When there's no plan, I find it hard to continue. Thinking it through is probably easier. But I'm too dumb to listen to my own words!

*Kami - God*

Thanks for the follow** JAMMerluckynumber13!**


	46. Orange Flash

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 46: Orange Flash<strong>

With her leaf umbrella dangling daintily over her shoulder, Tohru tip-toed to the opening in the woods, distancing herself from the Duchess' house. Fen hovered effortlessly behind, still cussing and complaining about the woman's split personality.

Tohru hadn't expected much from the woman on their first meeting, and she surely didn't link her resemblance to Momiji on contact. And although the boy had been born and bred by her, their uncanny personalities showed through the frames. They were complete opposites. Not that it was a bad thing...Well, not _that_ much.

But gaining the first stamp had put a downer on things. She hadn't really done much in helping Momiji for his problem wasn't so see-through at the beginning. Though she might have suggested a few things here and there, the rabbit had mostly sorted it out by himself. Hell, even Momo had contributed more than her!

And when the stamp suddenly appeared, she was happy for a short moment until reality weighed down on her like a sharp rock. With the first problem solved, she was already back to square one. Finding the next Zodiac was going to be a hassle, and who knows how long it will take to cross paths with one. If only the scroll could lead the way. "If it can float by itself, then surely it can point the way..?" she spoke aloud, unaware of the listening ears.

"What are you mumbling about?" Fen swooped ahead a little, eyeing her warily.

She blinked. "Oh."

His head flopped to the side in question. "Oh?"

"O-Oh! N-Nothing, don't worry about a thing-" But before the dazed prophet could say anymore, a ball of orange fur shot out of the bushes in a flash so quick that the girl didn't have time to scream.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 26th July 2014

**Words:** 308

**Symm: **So it's a bit short. But who cares? W-Well, you might I guess, but there's plenty of more chapters after this, so I don't know why you're complaining. *snickers* I'm joking of course. OR AM I!? *crazed stare*


	47. Heavy Pressure

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 47: Heavy Pressure<strong>

Tohru blinked, feeling light-headed all of a sudden. Her arms flopped lazily beside her head, feeling the slick texture of the wet grass beneath her skin. She tried to move but stopped at the tingling weight of something pinning her down, pushing all thoughts of freedom out the window. She blinked again, squinting blindly as the tree canopies came into view. Then it all came rushing back.

Gravity had taken over when the orange blob had sprung at her, appearing out of no where and knocking her down. Why the blob had chosen her as it's target, she didn't know. But she was sure about one thing. It wasn't human.

"Oh, thank Kami, it's you," the blur sounded relieved at the sight of her, sagging lower into her chest.

Tohru reached blindly, struggling to breathe under the heavy pressure of the blob as it used her ribcage like a cushion. "O-Off!" she gasped, wiggling her body around to knock the thing off.

"H-Hey, Tohru!" the blob growled, latching onto her dress with something sharp. It seared through the fabric and pricked her skin, making her yelp at the sudden action.

Fen squawked loudly, sounding more shrill than sweet. "Get off of her!" he dove down beak first, aiming for the being who seemed to be holding her hostage. "_She's mine!_"

Tohru's vision cleared at the eagle's strange words, hearing them ring over and over again in her head. _'Mine? What could he have meant by that?'_ she thought solemnly, trying to process the meaning behind his words.

The blob pounced off her chest at the bird's declaration, arching its hind legs higher with a venomous hiss. "She 'ain't yours to claim, bird brain!"

Tohru shot up with a gasp, landing on her knees at the sound of the familiar voice, staring blankly at the sight before her. Orange. Why didn't she realise it before?

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 26th July 2014

**Words:** 327

**Symm:** Another short chapter...eheh.

Thanks for the review **DaydreamingDuma!**


	48. Bargaining Chip

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 48: Bargaining Chip<strong>

"_Yours_ my ass," the blob spat, digging his claws into the soil.

Tohru eyed the cat up and down with a keen eye, blinking slowly as their eyes made contact. "Kyo?" she whispered, poking the Zodiac between the eyes. "A-Are you real?"

The cat glared at her like she was mentally unstable. "Are you kiddin' me?" Tohru struggled to cover her blush.

"Hey! Don't speak to her like that!" Fen barked gravelly. He moved to shield the flushed girl from the cat's view, spreading his wings wider as he stepped closer. "Don't _touch_ her," he blocked Kyo's paw from going any further.

Tohru scrunched up her nose, exhaling through her mouth before she speaking softly, "Fen, it's fine." She waved him away, keeping her eyes on the Zodiac. "Kyo here is a...f-friend." A close friend. "A _Zodiac_ to be exact."

"Great!" he scoffed. "Let's get his stamp and leave! We don't have time for this feline."

"My stamp?" Kyo asked warily, scenting the air with his wet nose. "I don't have a problem to solve-" he cut off short as a bitter smell numbed his senses. He looked at Tohru with widened eyes as his pupils shrank in fear.

"Kyooooo~" a feminine voice rang out distantly from within the forest.

The cat's tail shot up like a rocket as he scrambled across the dirt. "I-I don't have time for this! Tohru, you gotta help me!" he scurried behind her back, lowering himself down to hide.

"Help you with what?" she asked as the voice sounded again, this time closer. "Wait, is that Kagura?" she pushed herself up from her knees, uncovering Kyo's hiding spot.

"N-No, sit back down-!"

"We'll help you," Fen said almost robotically, "if you give us your stamp."

Kyo spluttered a handful of words before giving him a sharp nod, "F-Fine, but you have to hide me before-"

"Kyooo? Darling!"

"Ah! She's here!" the Zodiac darted through the grass and scaled a nearby tree, vanishing behind the veil of sodden leaves.

Tohru eyed the grass where he had just been standing. He was fast. But Fen's terms weren't right. He was bargaining Kyo's safety for his stamp. But didn't the bird realise that it wasn't so easy? _She_ was the one who had to solve the problem. _She_ was the only one who could bring forth the stamp. _She was the key!_ Kyo will be just as clueless as Momiji.

The forest grew silent as the girl broke from her thoughts, straining her ears for the approaching voice as her eyes scanned the trees swaying around them.

"Kyo!" a foot stepped out from behind a thick trunk, connecting to a smaller being as they stepped out fully. "Where are you-?"

"K-Kagura?" Tohru couldn't believe her eyes. She was right! Kyo had been running from the boar! _'I guess nothing has changed here either,'_ she groaned mentally, glancing up at the tree which hid Kyo.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 3rd August 2014

**Words:** 514

**Symm: **It's August already...how the time has flown by. By the way, there'll be a surprise chapter coming soon where you'll have a glimpse at someone else's POV. A VERY important character's to be exact. Look forward to it!

Thanks for the follow **Mikasa Haruno-Uzumaki-Namikaze, CrazyRedHead97, lovey1964!**

Thanks for the favourites **Mikasa Haruno-Uzumaki-Namikaze, CrazyRedHead97!**

Thanks for the reviews **lovey1964, DemonHeart42, Gwerty. !** I really appreciate them ;)


	49. Stumbling Lies

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 49: Stumbling Lies<strong>

"Oh. Tohru." All emotion left the Zodiac's face. "What are you doing here?" she asked bluntly, hiking her handmade backpack higher.

"I'm-" Tohru stepped closer to Kyo's tree unintentionally, placing a hand on the trunk to steady herself. "I'm the girl of the prophecy..."

Kagura sighed. "No, that's not what I meant. What are you doing _here_. In this forest."

"T-This forest? Well, I-" she glanced frantically at Fen, her mind whirling as she tried to come up with a good reason. "Ugh, I-I don't...know?" her eyes locked with the eagle's, pleading for help. "R-Right, Fen?"

The bird swallowed a curse, feeling the sweat drip down his neck as the pressure smothered over his tiny body. "O-Of course!" he cleared his throat, stumbling forward. "We just finished visiting the Duchess and got...lost on the way. W-We don't know where to head next." He avoided the Zodiac's gaze.

Tohru shot him a secret thumbs up. _'Good save!'_

But Kagura didn't seem to buy it. "Yeah, sure," her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Enough of that. Have you seen my darling Kyo?" she perked up. "He got away from me."

"Um, ye-no! Nope. I haven't seen him at all," Tohru straightened her back as she struggled to stand upright, feeling the sweat trickle down her back. Her slick hand slid down the thick trunk of the tree, almost loosing her footing on the foliage.

Fen face-planted the ground.

"...Are you sure?" Kagura asked, seeming uncertain with the prophet's answer. Tohru gave her a quick nod, hoping the girl would move on. She never had been one to lie. "Well then, if you _do_ see him on your way can you please tell him I was looking for him?" she sighed loudly, slipping behind a nearby tree for comfort.

_'Be nicer Tohru.'_ She puffed out her cheeks, thinking it over before pulling off the biggest smile she could muster. "O-Of course I will! I'm sure Kyo's just in a hurry somewhere. He'll reappear sooner or later," she reassured the sad Zodiac who poked her head shyly out from behind the tree.

"Really?" Kagura's voice softened as her eyes glistened with hope.

"Mhm." Tohru hummed.

A smile littered her face at the thought. "Yay! Thank you Tohru!" she gushed, surprising her with the sudden change of attitude. "I'm gonna go search for him!" she rushed off, leaving a trickle of wet leaves in her wake. "Bye, bye~"

Moments later Kyo hopped down from his hiding spot in the tree, shooting her a weird look after the boar's departure. "Why did you give her hope?" Fen nodded in agreement.

Tohru shrugged. "I felt guilty for lying."

Kyo paused, giving her a brief glance over. "Whatever-"

"Hey," Fen barked sternly, clenching his beak angrily as he remembered their deal. "You said you'd give us your stamp after helping you. We hid you. So give it." He growled.

Kyo burst into laughter, twirling his tail around leisurely. "I did say that, but you didn't specify _when_."

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 6th August 2014

**Words:** 525

**Symm:** Today has been rather slow, I feel the same way about this chapter. *sweatdrop*

Thanks for the favourite and follow **kanakoyuki!**

Thanks for the review **Aeternus Rosa!**


	50. New Companion

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 50: New Companion<strong>

Fen bit back his retort, feeling Tohru's gaze on the back of his head. In all his life he had never met such a rude and obnoxious being! Just looking at the cat made his blood boil. No wonder the Zodiac was deserted by his own kind. With an attitude like that, he wasn't surprised with the outcome.

"You are such a pain," he spat, clawing at the dirt. "You downright lied to us!"

"Fen," Tohru called sweetly, lowering the eagle's anger. Her presence was comforting to him. "Please don't fight. Kyo just has a...low tolerance for strangers. He acted this way when I first met him too, so please don't take it to heart. He's really a big softy," she smiled, genuinely feeling guilty for not warning the bird sooner. "Aren't you Kyo?"

The cat turned his back to her, lowering himself down. "Keh!"

Tohru giggled, lending Fen a hand as he hopped onto her shoulder. "See? He's gone all shy!" she cooed.

"S-Shut up, woman!" Kyo yelled, covering his face with his paws.

Fen smirked triumphantly, watching the cat shake with fury on the ground. "Aw, such a cute kitty!" he teased, enjoying the effect it was having on the cat. He felt powerful. He could see that the cat had a 'soft spot' for Tohru, which could also be perceived as his weakness. But he understood the compelling nature to be with the girl. She was like a drug. Even he felt safe around her.

For all he knew, he could have the same weakness.

But he wasn't going to let it show- at least not the cat. If he knew then his dominant position in the group would fall and they'd both be on the same page. Then it would be no fun.

"So where should we head to next?" Tohru spoke up, looking around the woods with a lost look to her eyes.

Kyo hunched his shoulders, scenting the air. "...Some of the Zodiacs are holding a tea party not so far from here."

"Then let's go join them!" Tohru cheered, stretching her arms above her head. When no one made a move, she looked down at the cat. "Aren't you coming Kyo?"

Fen swapped a sharp glare with the cat.

"I s'pose I don't have a choice," he grumbled.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th August 2014

**Words: **401

**Symm:** We're finally at chapter 50! *sigh* Not even _close_ to the halfway mark. We've got a long way to go everyone!

Thanks for the review **Aeternus Rosa!**


	51. Three's a Crowd

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 51: Three's a Crowd<strong>

Kyo begrudgingly pushed himself up, letting his tail drag behind as he began to walk. "...I guess I better show you the way then," he strolled ahead, leaving Tohru and Fen to trail behind.

And just seconds later, Kyo was already bursting with anger. He wanted to pummel the bird _so_ badly.

"Hey, pick up the pace! We're dying back here," Fen said forcefully, deafening the cat's ears.

Kyo shot him a sour look. "You're not even walking!"

Fen shrugged his shoulders. "Don't you understand how hard it is being a bird? I'm not just simply _perched_ on Tohru's shoulder. I am practically standing upright. It's so strenuous on my body," he sighed, swaying against Tohru's cheek. "It takes a lot of leg strength to hold this position. I have to practice hours on end to create this masterpiece of a-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it! Stop with ya babbling!" he groaned, twitching his ears agitatedly as he jumped over a loose root. "Tohru has two legs as well, plus she has to carry _your_ extra weight you fat bird!"

"Oh no, Kyo. Fen's not heavy, I don't mind carrying him." Tohru waved her hands. "I offered to-"

"He's being a freeloader!" Kyo hissed, slowing his pace with a sigh. "You're too nice for your own good. And you shouldn't trust people so easily! What if bird brain over there is just using you for a free ride!?"

"Kyo! Fen's my friend." She strained, matching her pace with his.

The Zodiac released a defeated sigh, staring at the ground in disappointment. "OK, OK. No need to get your panties in a twist." He groaned, glancing back at the girl's composed face. Fen, however, seemed to be dishevelled by his words.

"Don't be so foul!"

"S-Shut up, you! I didn't know how else to say it!" Kyo stormed away, twitching his flattened ears angrily.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th August 2014

**Words:** 363

**Symm:** For those of you who don't know, '_pummel'_ is another word for 'beat'. In Kyo's case, he wants to beat up Fen for being such a pain in the ass. As per usual.


	52. Dimming Daylight

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 52: Dimming Daylight<strong>

Kyo poked his head through the nearest bush, finding a break in the trees. "Finally," he groaned, settling his eyes on the outstretched table planted in the middle of the field not that far off. "I found those idiots," he mumbled to himself, casting a glance back. "Tohru! Get over here!" he yelled, startling the girl.

"C-Coming!" she stumbled over, leaving Fen to clutch onto her shoulder even tighter. He had sharp claws. "What is it?"

Kyo nodded at the view before them. "Do you see the object in the field over that way?" he pointed with his tail.

"Hm," she narrowed her eyes, scanning the landscape up and down. "O-Oh! You mean...the table?" she frowned, not being able to make out the objects covering it. Such a strange place to put a table. "Is it a picnic of some sort?" she asked, not finding another suitable explanation for it.

"No," the Zodiac shook his head. "It's the tea party those two _idiots_ are holding," he grumbled, twisting around to face her. "But it's a couple of miles outwards so it may take some time to get there."

Tohru nodded lightly. The day had passed in a flash and it was turning darker by the hour. Their stroll through the woods hadn't been quite as short as she had expected. With Kyo's hurried pace she had gotten lost three times in counting, not being able to catch up with the fast feline. And it didn't help with the uneven surface and her bad trait of tripping over thin air.

She was more tired than she was letting on.

"I guess we should start making a move before night falls," Fen sighed, nudging Tohru's cheek to get her moving. "Then we can find somewhere to rest-!" A strangled gurgle erupted from Tohru's stomach, cutting off the bird with a rude rumble. "And get Tohru some food," he raised his brow while Kyo struggled to stop his laughter.

The prophet covered her face, hiding the blush that began to surface across her cheeks. "S-Sorry," she failed to hide her embarrassment, finding herself staring at the ground.

"Don't apologize," Kyo huffed. "I'm not surprised your stomach is grumbling. I doubt you've had anything to eat, right?"

She nodded.

"Then let's get a move on. There's bound to be some food at the party." He flushed, scurrying off into the open field.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 7th August 2014

**Words:** 414

**Symm: **I just realised that Tohru hasn't had any food at all since her visit with Hatori- which would have been the day before. So much has happened in one day! She'd be so dehydrated is this was real! She hasn't had much sleep either...


	53. Odd Corn

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 53: Odd Corn<strong>

Tohru carefully maneuvered her way down a short slant of earth, taking a steady step at a time. A curl of dust piled up beside her as Kyo skid down the earth like a surfer, wiping his paws on the grass at the bottom. With a few nimble hops Tohru secured her footing on a rock underfoot and jumped the remaining slant, landing on her feet in the open field.

"Phew!" she fanned her face, feeling Fen sag against her.

"I'm so tired." He moaned, dragging his wings down his chest. "I think we should take a break!" he aimed his sentence at the Zodiac.

Kyo curled his tail, moving further into the corn field. "We can take a break when we're halfway through the field. Got it?"

"No-!" Fen cried.

"That's fine," Tohru replied, patting the bird's head before trekking onwards through the field.

It took them another hour to reach the middle of the field where they finally took a break, collapsing between the harvest plants.

"I'm so tired," Tohru said breathlessly, wiping the sweat from her face. She was exhausted. They had walked a lot for one day and she hadn't had much sleep the previous night before, let alone any food. "And hungry."

"Stop whining," Kyo snapped gruffly. She wasn't the only one out of breath. He had been running from Kagura all day, not wanting to risk it by having a break. But the girl was crazy!

Fen sat limply on Tohru's shoulder, gazing at the tasty looking corn growing around them. "...We could eat the corn," he drooled, his eyes glazing over with woe.

Tohru followed his line of sight, staring oddly at the corn. It wasn't the right colour. Instead of the usual yellow and green, strange blues and pinks covered them entirely. "How queer," she whispered, pulling one off its stem. "Is it alright to eat them?"

Kyo shrugged. "Corn is corn," he ripped one off and took a huge bite. Fen followed suit, pecking at the bright food while Tohru took much smaller bites, not wanting to rush her meal.

It wasn't until halfway through her meal when the tingling began. Her hands began to shake as the feeling grew distant in them, becoming like jelly as her grip on the corn dropped. She watched the harvest food roll through the grass as the tingling travelled down to her legs, making her feel woozy. "I-I...don't feel so good." She moaned, craning her head back.

Fen stumbled down beside her, falling flat on his back with his wings unfurled at an odd angle. "I think we've got food poisoning," he mumbled, sliding his eyes shut.

Kyo staggered over, appearing flustered. "I-It's all your fault!" he yelled at the bird, focusing his mind on staying balanced. "You idiotic bird!"

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>8th August 2014

**Words: **482

**Symm: **And here comes the next series of chapters beginning with corn! Enjoy ;)


	54. Bad Corn

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 54: Bad Corn<strong>

Fen glared at the cat, narrowing his eyes to slits. He shook with anger at the Zodiac's declaration, wanting to rough him up a little. To scare him off. "Don't go blaming me," he said rather calmly, surprising himself as well as the others. He was tired with this nonsense. Their arguing had become a substitute for conversation, finding it easier to call each other out than to sit and chat idly like normal people. He couldn't handle the angry bursts of emotions- not right this moment when they all seemed to be dropping like bricks. It was too much of a shock. His shoulders dropped substantially and his gaze flickered to his floppy joints as the tingling resurfaced amongst his feathers. In a couple more minutes he'd find that he wouldn't be able to shift at all. He cursed quietly, crushing his tail feathers as he slumped forward. "...Bad corn."

"Stop with ya mumbling!" Kyo snapped gruffly, not wanting to admit that he too was having some difficulty with moving. His hind legs were long gone and the numb feeling was slowly creeping along his stomach. He knew for sure that the next target would be his neck, then his arms and head. It was only a matter of time before he'd be numb all over. Kyo wasn't finding it comfortable. But he didn't have a cure for whatever _this_ was. He's just have to stick it out and hope for the best.

Tohru watched the slip of emotions run across Kyo's face. She wanted to help him- she truly did- but she was stuck with her own problems. Her eyes blinked tiredly as the tingling sensation moved along her jaw, leaving a patch of numbness in its place as a ribbon of pain shot through her system. Her eyelids fluttered rapidly and her irises popped out in an explosion of blue, covering the whites of her eyes for a short moment before shrinking back. Only the quickest of eyes would have seen the sudden change. But Tohru felt weak. Whatever poisoning substances had been added to the food was certainly having an affect on her. Her arms flopped lifelessly beside her head as she felt the last ounce of her power drain away.

She shot a frantic glance at the others as they released terrified cries and shrieks, watching them writhe around on the ground with stomach lurching twists. Nothing about this was similar in any way to the shrinking potion she had once took on first entry to Wonderland. No, this time it was different. She no longer felt safe.

Kyo muffled a silent scream as Tohru felt her back arch with a ear-popping click, hearing her bones grind against each other at the sudden movement. Her eyes widened drastically before rolling back, leaving her in the dark. She must have blacked out because the scenery seemed all too strange when she awoke. She closed her eyes, trying to control her breathing as she forced her heart to slow down, feeling a rush of adrenaline spark somewhere deep inside her.

With a shaky breath Tohru opened her eyes. She blinked. Once. Twice, before she screamed.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>11th August 2014

**Words: **539

**Symm: **I had to go to the Optitions (can't spell it) for an eye contact teaching this morning. It's my second time and it didn't take as long as the first teaching, but I have to go back in AGAIN to collect them. Then I have to go and collect them which will be the FOURTH TIME THIS A WEEK! My dad keeps taking the car to work so I have to walk there...but it's so far. THERE ARE TOO MANY HILLS IN WALES! Why can't it be flat!?

Thanks for the follow and favourite **Chesha Neko,Crystal Rose Bell!**

Thanks for reviewing **Crystal Rose Bell, leafa-chansao30, DemonHeart42, Aeternus Rosa!**


	55. Non-shrinkable Corn

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 55: Non-shrinkable Corn<strong>

With terrified eyes Tohru stumbled away from the ledge, finding herself stationed high above the ground. Her legs trembled at the mere sight below, frantically searching for a way down. The drop reminded her of the skyscrapers built high above the cloud line- the ones you'd see in the cities- as she wondered whether the experience would be similar to standing on a giant corn plant.

Taking a shaky breath Tohru clenched her eyes shut tightly, blocking out the drastic drop as she refocused on the dark imprints of her eyelids. She had never been one for heights.

A rough paw shook her out from her misery, startling the girl. Her eyes opened in a flurry, disorienting her vision for a moment.

"That's dangerous," Kyo criticised sharply, referring to her closed eyes. "Walking around blind won't do you any good." He shook his head, feeling more wary in this situation than calm. "And incase you haven't already figured it out yet, we've shrunk."

Tohru paled. She swallowed the thick lump lodged in her throat, stepping _away_ from the displeased cat. She couldn't believe his words. Her back hit the thick, green stem of the corn plant, rocking the entire structure with a few stomach-churning wobbles. She clung on for dear life, daring a risky glance up at the suspended block of corn dangling _way_ too close for her comfort. "Oh, no," she covered her mouth, shock written in her eyes. She shook her head. "Y-You're right!" she cried, understanding his statement. "We really have shrunk..."

"You got that right," Fen hobbled over with a scowl pulling at his features, shaking his miniature wings with repent. "No matter how starving we get in the near future, we are _never,_" he growled, "picking off some farmer's precious corn, ever again!" He glared at the cat.

Kyo feigned an act of hurt which soon twisted into one of anger when he realised the bird wasn't playing around. "Wait a minute! How is this my fault!?"

"_'Corn is corn'_" the bird repeated the cat's earlier remark, irritated. He levelled his heated gaze with the cat's narrowed stare as they weighed one another over. Kyo raised his paw and showed it off like a trophy; a triumphant smirk splayed across his face as his claws shot out smoothly, gleaming in what was left of the dimming light.

Fen smirked; his expression said it all. _Bring it on!_

Kyo muttered a curse before lunging at the bird, his claws aimed with precision. But before the predator could capture his prey Tohru blocked his path with her slender body, stretching her arms out in an attempt to intervene. Kyo's eyes almost bulged out his head at her silly blockade. _Stupid girl! _Thinking quick on his feet Kyo swung his hind legs outwards during mid-leap, skimming across her shoulder in a log-roll and landing in a ball of feathers and awkward limbs.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>25th August 2014

**Words: **500

**Symm: **Sorry about the lack of updates lately. I was busy helping out a new friend with ideas for their story. It's really good, it's called **Experimental WeaponMeister Games!** by **BluejayWing**. It's the sequel to the first story **The Experimental WeaponMeister Exchange!** They are both superb and I just can't get enough of them! Check 'em out if you have time!

Thanks for the follows **kittyangelita1126, sunshine-in-the-rain512, cece1234161!**

Thanks for the favourites **kittyangelita1126, sunshine-in-the-rain512!**

Thanks for reviewing **Crystal Rose Bell!**


	56. Weak Wings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 56: Weak Wings<strong>

"S-Sorry!" Tohru winced, hurrying over to the pair of animals tangled underneath one another, feeling the guilt pull at her face. "It's all my fault!" She choked, kneeling beside them. "I only wanted to stop you both before a fight broke out." She sighed miserably, running her hands down her face. She was becoming tired with their antics.

_Creak!_

She jerked her head downwards, forgetting about the cat and bird for a moment as she felt the leaf beneath her arch downwards- and it dragged her legs with it. In a matter of seconds gravity took over and pulled the impotent girl down. Tohru reached blindly for a ridge for something to grab on to, anything! But the leaf was too flat. She tipped backwards and slammed down onto the smooth surface, falling towards the tip of the leaf at a startling speed.

"Tohru!" Kyo catapulted himself after the helpless prophet and matched her speed, snagging the trim of her dress as they tumbled off. The cat swivelled his entire body, twirling Tohru around with him as he extended his claws up, piercing them through the under layer of the leaf. Their swift spin had saved their lives- for the time being- but had also matched a dancers twirl. It could have been perceived as an elegant motion if they were not dangling over a daring drop, supported by three measly claws.

Tohru gripped Kyo's paw, keeping her fingers locked around his forearm in a tight grip. Her mind whirled with the outcomes; could they climb up somehow? Fall? She didn't know. Her life rested on Kyo. "P-Please," she whispered, hoping someone above was listening. "Help us!"

"You don't have to ask!" Fen appeared with a smug grin, but his eyes were off; the fear was written clearly. He had hesitated when he'd seen Tohru slide unlike Kyo who had shot straight after her, dropping out of sight. And that was when it had dawned on him, forcing him to strike. He'd thrown himself from the side, noticing the breaking stem as he swooped down, spotting them instantly. They were barely hanging on!

His heart leapt from his chest as he moved to help, finding his attention drawn higher up as the harvest plant creaked again- much closer this time. With a deafening screech the suspended corn broke free from its restraints and slammed into the leaf the pair were hanging from.

"W-Watch out!" He yelled as a crack surfaced through the leaf (just like you'd see on ice), breaking towards them at lightning speed. Fen sliced through the air in a deadly descent, hooking the prophet and cat with narrowed precision by his claws right before the leaf snapped in two, dropping out of sight below.

"...Good save," Kyo hunched forward to hide his evident fear. He had truly thought he would die.

Fen rolled his eyes. "You're welcome." He tightened his grip on the pair, grasping them with separate claws. And it was all going so well until his wings began to _tire_. It felt like he was being pumped with lead! His flapping slowed dramatically, which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong>28th August 2014

**Words: **537

**Symm: **I accidentally maxed over the word limit in the previous chapter while I was editing, so, sorry about that. I had to take off the last two paragraphs to make it work so in case you're wondering why the beginning of this chapter was similar, that's why, ehe.

Thanks for the review **kittyangelita1126, Crystal Rose Bell!**

Thanks for the favourite **Yozora no Hoshi!**


	57. Decisions Can Kill A Man

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 57: Decisions Can Kill A Man<br>_(Or a bird)_**

"Fen," Tohru said, flinching slightly. She'd been hanging from her wrist for too long and the strain was becoming too much; her dress wasn't much help. The skirt was made from two thick layers, holding the heavy weight of three chairs tacked into one. And Fen was struggling with it. She could see that it was hurting the both of them. And at the sight of the sweat dripping down his back, she knew he couldn't hold them both.

Fen flapped harder. He wouldn't last much longer at this rate. "G-Guys," he risked a breath. "I can't do this-" his body dropped suddenly, alerting them of his incapability. He shoved another fierce gust into his wings, hanging on for dear life. He was desperate and knew he couldn't save them both.

If he didn't let go of one of them soon, they'd all drop to their deaths. It was decision time. But who would he drop?

Kyo would be the first choice, obviously. Their constant spats were tiresome; all hope of bonding was lost. But if he let Kyo go then Tohru would- No. It was out of the question. Tohru couldn't be lost, she was the prophet. The Zodiacs, hell, even Wonderland needed her to stay alive! Even_ him._ Then again, Kyo was also important. They still didn't have his stamp and if he fell, Wonderland would be screwed.

Fen sighed. What was he thinking? He couldn't let either go- no matter how much he wanted to get rid of Kyo. He'd trade places if he could.

As if she could read the conflict in his eyes, Tohru spoke softly, feeling the sorrow lodge in her throat. "...Drop me." What had she to lose?

Kyo pulled back his claws, shooting her a dumb look. "What crap are you spouting!?" He snapped, no longer fearing for his life.

Tohru shook her head, knowing he hadn't understood. The tears threatened to spill so she spoke quickly, not having enough energy to stop them. "Can't you see? Fen can't keep us up for long. He can hardly breathe!" She cried, stabbing a finger at his wings. "He can't support us both!"

Kyo shared a look with Fen, switching his gaze to his failing wings. "No way, stop lying." He said to her. "That's not true, r-right Fen?" He met his eyes.

Fen looked taken back. He had tried so hard for the Zodiac to acknowledge him by his name, but nothing had worked until today! I guess it takes a life-threatening experience to make miracles. _How tragic_. The least he could do was speak civilly. "Listen, K-Kyo," he gasped, sagging lower in flight. "I-I can't..."

His eyes widened considerably. This couldn't be happening. "_Shit._" Kyo rumbled. Something changed in his eyes as a deep chuckle rose from his mouth, sounding almost sinister. He was losing it. "...OK." He cleared his throat, returning back for a split second. "OK, OK, then what about this." His expression darkened. "Let me go, bird brain."

His expression startled Tohru who gasped in disbelief. He wouldn't. "No, I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself for this!"

He snorted. "Likewise."

"Fen!" Tohru drew back his attention with hardened eyes. "You _must _save Kyo." She was begging him! Fen read her look.

"No way!" The cat tried to interrupt but Fen stopped him.

With sorrowful eyes, he gave them a trembling smile. He'd already decided. "I'm sorry."

Kyo screamed.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 28th August 2014

**Words:** 600

**Symm:** So, who do you think Fen dropped? Because it could go either way if you think about it. But I've got some tricks up my sleeve. Leave me a guess if you want, and maybe I'll enlighten you.


	58. Gone

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 58: Gone<strong>

Kyo's mouth froze over as his scream cut short. Panic and anxiety overwhelmed his senses as his mind turned completely black, numbing his system to the core. He couldn't get to grips with the scenario. And he knew it wasn't right. But he was too scared and confused to speak- which was a first for him. But what could he do?

Nothing. Because it was too late. She was already gone, even if his mind refused to believe it. But here he was, thinking, _knowing _that Fen would have chosen him over her. No one would have even questioned his disappearance, not a single soul!

But he'd been wrong. _Terribly_ wrong.

Fen had killed her without a pinch of regret. He was expressionless.

The White Queen couldn't help them. She'd already vanished without a trace, simply blinked out of the existence of Wonderland. He wouldn't even be able to face the other Zodiacs. He didn't have the guts to tell them, to give them the bad news. That was supposed to be the officials job. He couldn't bear to take on any more guilt. Kyo knew what would happen if he did. He'd be banished forever this time.

He'd just simply watched her descent with fear-stricken eyes, seeing the tormented terror shoot across her face before she had vanished below.

"No." Kyo said, his eyes wide and crazed. "No! No, no, no!" He yelled, becoming louder with each breath. "NO!" He screamed, piercing through the silence. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"

He'd let her go and hadn't done a single thing about it.

"I-" Fen began.

But it was already done.

"You idiot! Tohru should have been saved, _not me!_" Kyo screeched. "You must always save the girl! ALWAYS!" He broke down in tears, feeling his paw slip lower through the bird's claw. "Why, Fen." His tears spilt over, falling in Tohru's wake. "W-Why not me?"

Fen clung tighter onto Kyo's paw, hauling him up on top of an entirely different plant. It was more intact than the previous one and he couldn't risk another person slipping away. Not when he'd just lost the one he'd loved.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>4th September 2014

**Words: **378

**Symm: **So it was Tohru who Fen dropped. What do you think about that? And I apologize for the wait. I started college on Monday and it is so different to my comprehensive. I've been tired for the past days and got in really late yesterday so I've been trying to catch up on sleep. I'm only in until lunchtime tomorrow luckily so I can have a bit of a rest! And no more uniforms! We can actually wear casual clothes! How's everyone's new schools/years been so far?

Thanks for the follow **rage98!**

Thanks for reviewing **kittyangelita1126!**


	59. Falling Queries

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 59: Falling Queries<strong>

_A few minutes before..._

"Fen!" Tohru cried, her hand slick with sweat. "You _must _save Kyo." She stared at him with firm eyes, drawing his attention. She could feel Kyo's pleading eyes drilling into the back of her head, telling her not to do it. But she just couldn't!

Kyo shook his head. "No way!" But he failed to interrupt their silent stare.

Fen's beak twisted into an unnatural smile as his whole demeanour slumped, sending Tohru his last sorrowful smile in which she sighed quietly to herself, giving him the clearance.

And then she was falling, spinning uncontrollably to the piercing screech of Kyo's dreadful scream, feeling the weight of gravity as it pulled her back to where her kind belonged- the ground.

Her body struck the earth with a bone-crushing snap, throwing her head back through an unthinkable flip as her tender body rebounded up from the dirt, only to impact a few seconds later with a shuddering pain.

A prolonged pause followed shortly before Tohru felt her eyelids grow heavy, closing them for only a moment and opening them slowly, finding herself staring wearily at the difference in scenery before her.

Her mind whirled as she took in her surroundings, fixating her gaze on the darkened sky. The evening had flown by in a simple blink, with unlit clouds and intense balls of light lining the sky in its wake.

A dull ache washed over her as a brisk wind threw her blood matted hair around in a series of tangled loops, bringing forth the memories of her fall. Her eyes rolled back as her mind wandered to her missing companions, wondering how they were taking the current situation. Kyo would be angry for sure at Fen, but what could she do? They probably thought she was dead, and Kami knows how long she had been unconscious for...

But why hadn't they found her yet? Even if she had landed in her grave they should still hold the decency to find her body and to dispose of it however they saw fit...But would they have given her a grave? She wasn't sure, feeling a solemn smile creep across her lips.

What if it was all a simple dream?

Or _nightmare._

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>20th September 2014

**Words: **385

**Symm: **It's been like three weeks since the last update; but here's the next chapter! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks for the review **kittyangelita1126!**

Thanks for follow and favourite **geme!**


	60. Broken Bones

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 60: Broken Bones<strong>

Hours later found Tohru still lying amongst the wet grass, buried in her thoughts of near death and loneliness until she couldn't think any longer. So finished with the concepts of her grave Tohru willed herself to move, gently sliding her arms around on either side of her waist to balance herself as she leant forward. But as quick as she transferred her weight to her left arm, all hell struck loose as a throbbing ache pulsated from her hand to elbow. And it _hurt_.

The girl ground her teeth at the burning pain, feeling a sob hike high up her throat which she struggled to force back, not wanting to alert any of the night creatures of her crippled position. Her broken limb was the least of her worries.

With her small stature she had become the main prey for the flying and ground predators to catch. They could just pick her off like a mouse in a field of wheat. She was too vulnerable being this out in the open. She needed cover, and fast.

Tohru grimly lifted her arm as a shot of agony washed over her like a rough wave from the movement, leaving a dull ache to encompass her tingling limb. Something had definitely broken. Just her luck. Tohru forced her thoughts back, trying to focus on the glistening texture of the grass as she moved onto her knees, unable to stop the pain as the bones in her wrist clicked and twisted.

She'd half expected the wind to cut upwards and throw her dress into disarray, making the skirts pucker out like a parachute so she could float down without any casualties or broken bones...Yet that hadn't quite happened. Life isn't the fairy tale she had once imagined it to be. Nor the dream.

A twig snapped far off in the distance, reminding her of the other creatures lurking around the same field. But she blinked, glancing hopefully towards the direction of the sound. What if it was Kyo and Fen? Her heart throbbed just thinking about them. And to think; she had often seen the admiration Fen had shown for her during their travels with the way his eyes lightened at the mere sight of her, causing her heart to flutter. Even Kyo!

The source of the sound approached quickly as Tohru heard more snapping noises until finally, the closest corn plants rustled and shook as a figure- no, _creature_ stepped out from the brush.

And it wasn't her friends.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>4th October 2014

**Words: **423

**Symm: **Hey, sorry for the wait everyone I've been too busy to update lately. I'm gonna try and update more regularly after I finish college which will be better. And I'm also hoping to put up a Halloween story this month, so keep an eye out. I'm not sure which anime it will suit yet ;)


	61. Constricting Injury

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 61: Constricting Injury<strong>

Her eyes drew up fast as the rugged beast moved towards her, baring its sharp teeth which had been hidden a mere moment ago beneath its scraggy beard of pelt. Ears the size of china plates twitched back and forth atop its head as it stared down at her over its dripping snout with dark soulless eyes, hearing the heavy thud of her heart and the blood that rushed to it. The beast was terrifying to say the least; with its oversized jaw and ropy tail sizing to the length of a high chair leg. It was more frightening than a bear!

The beast lowered its head to her level and sniffed, inhaling her alluring scent as its eyes flickered to a predatory red for a brief moment as they focused on the blood stains smeared across her limp arm, flickering back to their pit-less black orbs which weighed her over. And it was in that split second when Tohru felt a pang of uncertainty burn at the back of her head: she was the prey.

Before the beast could act Tohru spun on her heel and made a sprint for the gap in the field, hearing the rough screech of anger emit from the creature as she forced her legs to move, pushing herself on despite her predicament; she had never been one for physical education. She risked a glance back, fixating her terrified eyes on the beast as it stabbed its overgrown nails into the sodden earth before throwing itself after her, butchering through the greenery with its sharp ropy tail.

Tohru whipped her head around and continued along her imaginary path, feeling the ends of her hair snag on the leaves and plants blocking the way. They pulled and scratched at her body, almost as if they were trying to trap her for the beast, but she batted them away with her good arm, keeping her other cradled against her thudding chest.

Her ears drowned out the beasts heavy footfalls against the shower of rain that broke through the heavens, not hearing the creature closing in. She swerved off to the right to confuse the beast but her foot slid along a slick patch of grass and threw her mind into disarray as she rolled and skidded across the earth with an exasperate 'oomph!'. All she could see was the blackness that shrouded her vision, blinding her of the surroundings and more importantly, the _beast._

With her heart ringing in her ears Tohru's mind set into a panic as her life hung on the edge in flashing red, imagining her sudden end with the beast's ravenous claws piercing through her torso and dismembering her limb from limb.

In an attempt to save herself Tohru shoved at the ground with her arms to push herself up in a fighting chance but a venomous pain stabbed through her arm as she suddenly remembered about her injury, releasing an inhuman screech which halted the beast in its tracks as it lifted its head in alarm, scenting the air for her scent once again.

The pain was too much for her to bear as red spots filled the blackness of her vision. The strength she had summoned to propel herself from the ground retreated back to her core as they gave out, leaving her to roll on her side with a numb mind and soul. Her eyes struggled to set upon one of the red dots, stretching it weakly with her sight until the towering beast came into range, staring back at her with its inky black eyes.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>19th October 2014

**Words: **600

**Symm: **I enjoyed typing this chapter (although it took me longer than I anticipated). But I've been so moody lately which makes me think that I'm hitting my teenage tantrum stage a little bit late. It's just weird! In college I'm not so bad but when I get home I just can't be bothered to talk to my family because of these stupid mood swings...It's kind of creeping me out. I need to set my mind straight. ^-^"

Thanks for the follow and favourite **Kiara Benihime!**


	62. Soul Sucker

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 62: Soul Sucker<strong>

The beast's heated gaze seemed to suck the life out of her.

Her breaths came in quick pants, feeling the restricted air settle deep in her throat with every struggling intake. The rain fell heavier, soon turning into hail that smothered her form whole leaving angry red marks with every touch. The beast, unaffected by the weather stalked forward until it was level with her, filling her fading vision with its glistening white teeth hanging lower beneath its sopping fur. How frightening.

Tohru buried her anger and self-pity at her futile attempts of escape, gritting her teeth as the rain struck her blindly and covered her with senseless wonder. All she could see was the beast's oversized paw hovering too close for comfort before her stilled eyes, feeling her heart tighten painfully in her chest. She didn't dare to utter a single word nor breath as the beast extended its claws and slashed the air for emphasise, showing that it wasn't playing around.

Tohru prayed to the heavens, wishing the rain away. But the beast wreaked its paw high above, getting ready to strike her down...

And she blinked.

Standing before the beast stood a striking figure, resting their powerful hand on the snout of the beast. Her mind fuzzed and reeled as the appearing silhouette released a rabid growl, tightening their grip on the creature's snout until a blood curdling screech erupted from its jaws, leaping back to avoid any further turmoil. The figure, with a vexing shake of their head flexed their hand, sending blood splatters across the ground that mixed with the rain and turned a sickly orange, turning their back on the beast. A big mistake. Overpowering the vulnerable position the beast raised its paw once again to strike at the offending figure before the prophet could yell out a warning.

Tohru's eyes fluttered shut at the deafening cry. She knew the strangers outcome, and soon, she'd be next. But she still reached out her hand, keeping the belief of her and the stranger surviving and being saved. She felt the rain on her face as a brutal wind picked up around them, blocking out the crying screams and bone-breaking cracks from behind.

When she opened her eyes she saw two auburn dots staring back at her, becoming unfocused and blurred with every blink. Her bottom lip puckered as a familiar name left her lips, whispering his name before she finally collapsed, succumbing to the darkness.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>20th October 2013

**Words: **419

**Symm: **It's Monday...! Unfortunately, but I have Wednesday off since there's no college due to a training day of some sort. Then I can finally get started with my Halloween story (which is going to be my first ever _Ghost Hunt_ fic) but I think I'm pushing the uploading date a bit late. Wish me luck!


	63. Shigure

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 63: Shigure<strong>

_"...Tohru?" The voice whispered, tugging at her wakefulness. "Tohru," her tone softened with a sigh._

_Tohru clutched her mother's trousers, resting her head on the crook of her knee._

_"You've got a fever again."_

_The familiar smell of her mother's cigarette swirled in a hazed fog around them, feeling her hand settle on her head, stroking her fever-ridden cheeks. She only smoked when she was tired._

_"You don't have to push yourself so hard," she continued, resting her jaded onyx eyes upon her daughter's head. "You don't have to do things the way I did." She took a silent drag of her cigarette, feeling the slight burn as she exhaled deeply. "You can just be yourself, do things your own way- one step at a time. You'll get there," Kyoka Honda smiled, filling the cold ache within Tohru's chest. __I promise."_

Tohru stirred in and out of sleep, remembering her once forgotten memory of when she had been ridden with a fever from studying too late. That was something she and her mother had in common. They both worked to the extreme- even if there was little income. One thing she missed was the important photograph she had been given by her doting grandfather, the one with Kyoka smiling from beneath her dyed red hair, holding up her hand and forming the 'peace' sign, a genuine glow radiating off her face.

Tears built up in the corners of her eyes, feeling the dull ache tug at her heart. She missed her.

"...Don't cry," a voice whispered, rubbing at her cheeks to stop the trails of tears. "It takes away your cuteness."

Tohru forced her mind to wake, squinting through her weary eyes at the figure hovering above, focusing on the same two auburn eyes she had last seen before the blackness had taken her. Her bottom lip quivered as her eyes struggled to focus, hardly making out the black locks crowning his head. "Shi...Shig-Shi..." Her voice came out hoarse and weak. "Shi-"

"Shh," he placed his gentle hand upon her burning forehead- the same one he had used to crush the vile beast's snout. "You have a fever, Tohru. You need to rest." He smiled, pulling the blankets higher up. "You have to rest." He settled her back down, resting his gaze on her wounded arm. "Your injuries could keep you bedridden for a few days," Shigure sighed, grabbing a wet cloth from the bedside table to drape over her forehead, believing it would cool her fever down. "You must have gone through a lot today," he said, drawing his gaze back to her face. He watched her face as his words seemed to hit a nerve, noticing the distant look in her eyes. "Little prophet?"

Tohru shook her head, ridding herself of the unwanted tears and drawing in a trembling breath. "I-I..." She hiccupped, rewording her thoughts. "K-Kyo and Fen think I'm dead," she sniffled sadly, wiping her nose with her good arm. "I-I don't know w-where they are."

Shigure kept quiet, running his mind over the names before smirking. Kyo had finally joined her, huh? But Fen? His mind reeled back in thought struggling to place the name with a face. He'd have to look into it.

"Shigure?" He heard Tohru whisper. Her hand was now at her side but her cheeks looked red and sore, glistening with her forgotten tears.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for finding me...I don't know what would have happened it you hadn't."

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>2nd November 2014

**Words: **600

**Symm: **Did everyone have a good Halloween? I finally uploaded my Halloween-ish story in case anyone's interested; it's a Ghost Hunt fic, my first one in fact! And in case you're wondering, yes, the first part of this chapter _is_ from the anime of Tohru dreaming about her mother when she came down with a fever. I thought it suited the situation! Thanks for reading.


	64. The Perks of Being a Dog

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 64: The Perks of Being a Dog<strong>

Shigure stood outside the prophet's room, listening to her peaceful snores. With a dark expression cloaking his face he leant against the shoji doors. _'I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't.'_ Her words rung in his head, curling his hands into fists. She didn't know, but _he_ did. If he hadn't have found her desperately calling for help all alone in that corn field then she would have become rodent meat. If he hadn't intervened-

"Shigure." Ayame appeared at the end of the hallway. His white tresses seemed to glow against the serene moonlight casting through the wooden windows, making it look like silk.

He narrowed his stare. "What?" he barked.

Ayame's foot faltered at the warning tone in his voice but he carried on ahead, determined to get closer. "How is she?"

Shigure's gaze eased. "She still has a fever. She said she fell and knocked herself unconscious." He replied, calming his mood as he felt the tension slowly ease away from his clenched hands, using them to brace himself against the doors. "She woke up a few minutes ago, crying about Kyo thinking she was dead." He paused, catching the snake's golden gaze. "Do you think he's close by?"

Ayame shrugged. "It's a possibility." Or not.

"...She also mentioned another name, an odd one. Do you know of someone named Fen?"

Ayame bowed his head with the slightest of movement, hiding his surprised shock. "Fen, hm?" he whispered, clasping his hands behind his back. "I believe I do. Fen is an eagle who _should _be residing near the door to Wonderland...So the question is, why is he here, travelling with our beloved saviour?"

Shigure removed himself from the wall, feeling the tension build back up in his hands. They curled into fists. "Perhaps he became _smitten_," he spat the word, "with Tohru's innocent ways." He dug his nails into the palms of his hands.

Ayame's eyes flittered from the dog's sinful expression to the blood dripping down his fingers. "I'm sure it's nothing," he reassured him, repeating himself over and over again until the Zodiac unclenched his fists. He tried to change the subject. "Yuki is sat downstairs. He's waiting for her to wake up."

Shigure sighed. "Don't tell him she already did. She's needs a little more rest, otherwise she won't be able to handle any conversation without crying; she's still a bit dazed."

Ayame nodded slowly, playing it off with a concerned cough. "Do you want me to do anything? Like, find Kyo and the bird?" he suggested, spinning on his heel to leave.

"No," Shigure said, later adding; "thank you."

"Then I'll go accompany my darling brother!" he cooed, flittering down the hallway in a flash before the dog could say otherwise.

Shigure shook head, a smile adorning his face. "Poor Yuki," he chuckled, drawing his eyes towards the moonlight leaking through the windows. Ayame didn't have the nose for scenting out the two ruffians. He did, however. Being born a dog _did_ have its perks. With a swift step Shigure raised his hand and whistled quietly through his curled fingers, perking his ears at the answering call. He smirked.

His dogs were on the search.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>2nd November 2014

**Words: **558

**Symm: **Hm, Shigure doesn't seem too happy with this Fen guy. But don't you think the Zodiacs seem a little _too_ overprotective? I understand that Tohru's their one and only saviour and that, but seriously! Chill down everyone. ^^"


	65. Monstrous Gash

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 65: Monstrous Gash<strong>

The next time Tohru woke it was morning.

Her eyes blinked slowly, feeling weak against the morning sun. The light shone through the gap in the curtains creating mirrors of dancing lines across her sheets. She breathed in through her nose, finding her throat too dry to move. She flexed her fingers and felt a dull ache in her left arm. Her eyes widened at the monstrosity of her wound, feeling her muscles constrict and then stop.

An ugly bruise smothered her skin with spots of yellow inked above her wrist and elbow, encasing them with crusted blood. The slightest of jolts would send her broken bones shaking, stabbing against the punctured tears of skin running along the curved side of her bloody arm; they looked like claw marks. The blood oozed out in thin trails, falling onto a sheet of white cloth placed underneath for her arm to rest on and soaking into the pure material.

Her elbow jutted out at an odd angle, provoking the bone structure buried beneath her damaged skin. She winced, tearing her withdrawn eyes away from the grotesque laceration.

With her free hand Tohru rested her hand across her forehead, feeling the after burn of her fever. Her head still ached, filling her mind with fuzzy thoughts and images of the wretched beast baring its enormous front teeth.

She shook her head feeling the dizziness spark back to life. The world seemed to tilt as her body slumped sideways lurching away from the covers and blood-stained cloth, heading straight for the ground. With a last minute effort Tohru yanked her arm towards her chest, sheltering it from the impact as her hip hit the ground first, sharply followed by the rest of her body. Her lips formed a quivering line as an affliction shot through her, burning her body from the inside.

A distressed whine escaped her lips. Everything hurt. She couldn't call out, feeling the dryness coating her throat.

But she didn't have to.

Shigure burst through the wooden doors after hearing her distressed call, his feet sliding across the panelled ground in panic. "Tohru!" he knelt down beside her in a frenzy, assessing her frail form for any life threating injuries. He froze. The air stunk of copper! His sight darted to the thickening drops of blood as they splattered to the floor, following the trail up towards her arm.

Ayame had managed to clot the wound last night, but her sudden movement must have dislodged something to create such a heavy blood flow. His shaking hands reached underneath her and carefully lifted her up, halting at her agonising screech. This rung the warning bells for the other two Zodiac's.

Arriving quick on their feet the snake and rat cut short at the doorway, watching the stronger Zodiac carry the girl to her bed. Her tainted eyes portrayed the pain and anguish she felt from the sudden tumble as she struggled to control the overpowering will to cry, finding her eyes drawn to the man positioning her back under the covers.

"Are you alright?" Shigure asked, concern masking his face.

At her forced nod Ayame hurried over, grasping her by the shoulders. "No you're not, the wound reopened." His golden eyes blazed with an emotion she had never seen before; shame.

'_Was it due to me opening my wound?'_ She frowned.

"Damn, I should have stopped the blood properly-"

Tohru shook her head, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I-It's not your fault." She hated herself for worrying the gentle snake. "It's not that bad..."

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>3rd November 2014

**Words: **599

**Symm: **I've been listening to _Gothic and Loneliness_ by _Kagamine Rin _since I got home. It's just so addictive! Plus we've just had Halloween and the only other spooky song I listened to was _Happy Halloween_ but by a different cover other than Rin. I think I'm going crazy.


	66. Broken

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 66: Broken<strong>

"Of course it's bad!" the snake exclaimed, jabbing his finger at the overflowing blood. Alarm flared abruptly in his eyes at the puddles of crimson discolouring the bedding. "At least half a litre of your blood has already filled the sheets!" he cried, waving Shigure away so he could get to work. The dog squeezed her hand gently and sent her a reassuring smile before retreating out of the room with Yuki.

Ayame quickly grabbed the open medic bag from the bedside table and reached inside, fishing out a roll of bandages and tape. With quick, executive fingers the snake got down to business, dabbing roughly at her wound in an attempt to stop the blood.

Tohru grimaced at the sweet stench of her lifeblood, feeling light headed from the loss of blood. It continued to flow freely through the material Ayame was using to jab at her skin, sending pin-prickling lumps across her arm and arousing her discomfort of being tended to. Her eyes stayed locked on his hand as it swiftly tucked and pressed, gradually clotting the open wound and trapping the remaining blood inside.

Ayame lightly cleaned away the drying blood around her injury before neatly wrapping the thick roll of bandage around her arm, ignoring the blobs of missed blood seeping through the first layer. He had picked up a few tricks from Hatori during his last visit, finding his friend's perfected skills fascinating. He grinned at the memory while grabbing the tape with his free hand. The snake tacked up the corners and fraying edges before leaning back and grinning at his handiwork. "All done," he said.

Tohru nodded her thanks, glancing down at her newly wrapped arm. "D-Did you fix it?" she asked tentatively, meeting his gaze.

He pursed his lips. "Not...entirely. All I did was stop the blood from escaping. But for your bones? Well," he shook his head, "that's out of my ability. I'm afraid that the bone running from your elbow to wrist has completely snapped in half; you're lucky it didn't pierce the skin. Without Hatori, the only thing I can think of is to let it heal by itself. I'll have to make some plaster from the flour out back and make you a proper cast to spread over the bandages. This will help to set the bone and allow it to heal on its own in the right place," he smiled, patting her head affectionately. "However, you won't be able to move your arm much so it's best for you to rest in bed." He moved to stand.

"...I can't act like I'm bedridden, Ayame." Tohru winced, shifting her weight on the bed. "I'm already a liability-"

"You won't be able to save Wonderland with such an injury." He scowled, dusting off his hands. "You're being irrational," he sighed before leaving her to sit alone in her misery.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>4th November 2014

**Words: **497

**Symm: **I have such a _wicked _ idea for the next dozen or so of chapters! And we're not even halfway through the story yet! But I haven't been getting much feedback lately (not since Chapter 58!); I'm not asking for you to leave a review, but a short PM would be nice just so I can see if you guys are still enjoying the newest chapters. Thanks for reading!


	67. Shattered Feelings

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 67: Shattered Feelings<strong>

"Why did I say it like that," the snake said to himself, bowing his head with a sigh. His lips pulled at the corners, forming a grimace as he wondered why he hadn't tried to comfort the crying girl, finding himself stood outside the door leading to her room instead. He understood what Tohru was like, never wanting any help. She didn't like to rely on others, not wanting to trouble anyone with her queries. Ayame knew she was only trying to look after herself, but why couldn't she see that they only wanted to help? She wasn't a burden, not for them.

With his mind filled with worrying thoughts, the snake had yet to realise where his feet had carried him off to, standing lonesome in the middle of the kitchen and staring off with a dazed expression.

"Ayame?"

The snake whirled around, snapping back to reality as his eyes rested upon his younger brother. "Yuki. What is it?" he flexed his fingers, struggling to remember what he had come here for.

The rat brushed back his silky hair, keeping his arm raised in a relaxed position behind his head. "How's Tohru doing?" he whispered lightly, not wanting Shigure to hear their conversation- the walls were paper thin.

Ayame sighed. "There are two possible answers my dear brother," he did a twirl, forcing his mouth into a grin. "So," his golden eyes twinkled with mischief. "Are you asking about her welfare or feelings?" he craned his neck, causing his ivory hair to glide over his shoulder as he leant forward into a bow.

Yuki felt the tension grow in his shoulders, suddenly feeling stiff and out of place with his brother's madness. "S-Stop it!" he growled, shaking his head back and forth. "I'm not interested in your games, snake." He hissed the last word, using it as an insult rather than his descriptive term.

Ayame's grin faltered. "Hm, then in that case," he stood up from his frozen bow, "Tohru is fine." He straightened his back and turned his attention to the cupboards fixed on the walls, stepping towards the nearest one. "She's lucky the bone didn't shatter, although a snapped bone isn't much good either." He opened the cupboard and reached inside, searching for the bag of flour. He found it sitting behind the tub of salt, almost missing it with his sight. "It'll take a few weeks, maybe even a month or two before it heals so until then, I suspect she'll stay here to rest. I doubt Shigure will let her travel with an injury."

Yuki nodded, eyes trapped in thought as he grabbed a clean mug from the shelf. He could do with some tea. "...What about the other thing?"

Ayame closed the cabinet door, quietly. "She's upset. From what Shigure told me, Kyo thinks she's dead."

The cup dropped from Yuki's hand and shattered to the ground.

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><p><strong>Posting Date:<strong> 9th November 2014

**Words: **483

**Symm:** I finally got some feedback on the last chapter which pleases me- at least I know people are still reading my story! :) I'm slowly moving this story along, and don't worry, Kyo and Fen will be back in the picture soon.

Thanks for the reviews **Kateeld and DemonHeart42!**


	68. Homemade Plaster

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 68: Homemade Plaster<strong>

"Kyo was with her?" the fury rattled within at the mention of the banished Zodiac. Nobody had seen the cat in years. It was rumoured he was dead- killed by the Red Queen's knights after she took over. A dark laugh bubbled up his throat and his eyes flashed a luminous onyx, not going unnoticed by his brother.

"Yuki." Ayame's voice broke him out from his trance. He shivered, astonished with the amount of anger buried inside him. Why did the cat make him feel this way?

"S-Sorry," the rat blurted, hurrying off to find something to take his mind off of things.

Ayame was aware of this. "Here," he shoved the bag of flour towards his direction, nodding at the sink. "Go pour this into a bowl for me." He said, fishing out the tub of salt from the same cupboard. "And grab me a saucepan!"

Yuki tottered off and sighed, rubbing his eyes. His brother was just using him. "What do you need all this stuff for."

"I want to make some plaster for Tohru's cast," he replied, accepting the saucepan from the curious rat. "It'll help hold her broken bones together so they can heal in the right place."

"Is it better than a bandage?"

Ayame shrugged. "It's just more...protecting for the injury. It won't hurt as much is she knocks it," he nodded to himself, pouring three cups of water into the pan before placing it on the stove. The water began to bubble and pop, slowly boiling towards the centre. The snake threw in a handful of salt and the bowl of flour Yuki had poured out for him, stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon.

Yuki frowned, eyeing the gooey contents. "Are you sure you're doing it right?"

"I hope so. Hatori taught me before but I can't seem to remember whether the main ingredient was salt or sugar." He grabbed the second shaker from the cupboard and poured a fraction of it in. "Now it should work either way," he grinned, watching the water dissolve into the goo. "I don't think that was supposed to happen..." He eyed it warily, dumping it back into the bowl. "Hm, I guess it'll take form once I start the kneading."

Yuki watched in silence as his elder brother pressed his hands into the dough, pushing his knuckles into the centre before flipping it over and repeating the process. He perched against the side of the table, running his mind back to Tohru. She was a quiet girl who never got into trouble. She was good at helping others. Although her injury was from a fall, something seemed odd about it. She'd have to of fallen from quite a drop to have sustained such an impact- that he was certain of. Perhaps the fall muddled up her memories.

"Hey, snake, you mentioned that Tohru was worried about the cat thinking she was dead. How did she come to that?"

Ayame's hands paused in motion, a frown marring his face. "I'm not really sure. Shigure said she is still asleep so I guess you'll have to ask her yourself." He batted his long eyelashes, drawing his lips into a pout. "Or her _big brother_ could go console her-"

"No! No way!" _'Big brother? What is he thinking!?'_

"...Actually, where _is_ Shigure?"

Yuki's eyes hardened. "The last time I saw him he was heading towards his room with a depressed look to his face, carrying a pen and some paper."

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>9th November 2014

**Words: **599

**Symm: **Two chapters in a row! I'm on a roll today. Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading!


	69. Conflicted Notions

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 69: Conflicted Notions<strong>

Sat amongst the slight glow of the flickering candles sat a lonesome figure, hunched over a sheet of crinkled paper. If not for the dim light emitting from the candles, he'd have been mistaken for his sudden likeliness of a statue, pale in comparison to the dull grey of stone. The figure's bone-white fingers tightened around the pen in his hold; auburn slits staring restlessly at the sheet of paper placed coldly upon his writing desk. His eyes ran over the words as the temperature in the room dropped drastically, feeding off the dog's stoic expression as his grip intensified, causing the frail plastic encasing the pen to crack and cut into the recent wounds covering his palms- ones which he'd inflicted upon himself. The bleeding flesh stung and tingled across his delicate skin, and he felt the silent curses bubble up his throat.

_'What am I doing..?'_ his mind pushed and pulled at his conscience, tugging at the fragments of emotions tucked and hidden away from his main branch of emotions. He paused, eyes glistening with unshed tears as he wondered why he was doing this- No. He _did _know.

With a silent breath the Zodiac slackened his grip on the pen and jabbed the tip of the nib onto the limited space of the paper, roughly scrawling his signature across the parchment in loose swirls, ignorant to the blood running down his palm and staining the twisted white on the sheet. With every loop of ink Shigure bit harder into his bottom lip, too engrossed in his words to feel the prickling pain.

...But he hated himself, shown through the dark shade of envy that crossed his face, deepening the anger seeping into his eyes. He knew that his doings were wrong, but his intentions were in the right place...Yet what choice did he have? He couldn't lie to his heart.

Nobody could.

With one last look at the letter Shigure shook his head and discarded his pen to roll up the paper, despite his wishes, and grabbed a thin piece of thread from the bottom draw of his desk to tie a scruffy knot around it and keep it in place.

"It's already done," he said to himself, bustling to find his official stamp. His trembling hands fished it out from under his seat- probably due to his own misplacement- before sliding his chair back in a quick motion and wandering over to the furthest shoji doors of his office.

For the second time that night, Shigure brought his bleeding hand to his lips and released a high-pitched whistle, calling for his hounds.

And they came running.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>14th November 2014

**Words: **449

**Symm: **I'm not sure if this chapter got Shigure's intentions across, so if nobody understood the whole concept of the letter writing; Shigure is basically writing to (-you'll find out who, soon-) but the text of the letter are yet to be revealed. He feels conflicted with what he's writing, yet he cannot stop because his heart is against it. (Is it a new love!?) Who knows! He feels like he's betraying the others which subtly hints at the contents of the letter. Is it something good or bad? Nonetheless, who is the recipient? *input dramatic gasp*


	70. Shisen

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 70: Shisen<strong>

A dark grey dog emerged from the blackness of the night, shrouded with fatigue and jaded heat as his seething red eyes bled through the light, raising his head at the sight of his master. His calculating orbs settled upon the Zodiac's shoulders, not daring to rise and meet his eyes. He knew who held the authority around here and he wasn't in any way ready to fight for the lead- not that he wanted to.

Shigure eyed his beast up and down, taking note of the lowered gaze directed at his chest. He smirked, '_clever dog'. _His hand took a firm grip on the scroll held out of sight behind his back- sealed with his official stamp on the outer curve; a bloody red in colour, just how _she_ preferred.

The dog planted its muscular legs to a stop, lowering its tail in respect for the taller beast; and with careful precision, it raised its eyes for a brief moment to meet his master's, watching the slight raise of the Zodiac's head before hurrying over to him with saliva dripping down his smug jaw, soaking into the scruffy fur of his lower limbs.

"_Shisen_." Shigure called out to the dog, sinking into a graceful crouch with his free hand extended towards the inu and a smile adorning his face. The named dog butted his nose into his master's hand, accepting his affectionate head scratch, sinking into a straight-backed sit. "You look well," he commented, patting his back gently. "Been eating enough?" he chuckled, feeling a dark haze flicker across his vision as something crossed his mind. "...Any news of the cat and bird?"

Shisen stared at his master with calculating eyes, watching the pulse beat rapidly in his neck. He looked worried. The scent of his master's blood added to it. _Preys are near._ The inu forced his thoughts back to Shigure, narrowing his gaze at his understanding. Of course, what was the point in being a Zodiac if you couldn't interact and understand your home species?

Shigure clenched his hands, oblivious to the blood dripping down his fingertips. Shisen sniffed the air tentatively, finding the copper scent strong and overbearing. He nudged his muzzle into the Zodiac's leg, pawing at the dirt under the blanket of the overhead sky. _Master is hurt. Red._ He whined.

The human shook his head, taking note of the beast's concern. "I just got angry, that's all." He smiled grimly, "I'm fine now, everything is fine." He clutched the parchment in his hand, crinkling the already creased paper. His eyes drew back towards the dog. "I have another request." He spoke solemnly, trying not to wince at the inu's enthusiastic look.

Shisen was a good dog, Shigure's most trusted inu of the small pack which he had practically raised all by himself. Onlookers would class them as 'pets', but him? No, they were much more than that. The inu were practically family, stemming from the lower Zodiac groups and sectors. For him to look so eager to deliver such a letter made him feel empty inside. Asking such a task from the innocent beast wasn't fair, but he didn't know how else to go about it. This was the most discreet.

And the safest.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>30th November 2014

**Words: **558

**Symm: **Just to let you know, I've added in an ability which allows the Zodiac's to communicate with their home species- the same creatures they're supposed to represent. It's a similar effect with what happened in one of the episodes in the anime when the stray cats were drawn to Kyo on the rooftop because he was also a cat. They just have that weird effect. But instead of the animals becoming drawn to them, they can push their stronger thoughts back at the Zodiac which allows them to understand each other. It's basically mind-reading!

Thanks for reviewing **TohruKyoYuki, fan, DemonHeart42!**

**fan: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying it.**


	71. Departure

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 71: Departure<strong>

Shigure pulled the letter into view, giving the inu a moment to sniff the wooden scent before handing it over. Shisen stood on all four paws and let out a quiet yip, snatching the parchment from his master's fingers.

Said man released a deflated sigh. "You shouldn't be so happy," he shook his head, meeting the dog's assuming eyes. "But you already know, don't you. Hm. Then you know of the danger, Shisen. You have to be careful, don't stop for anything. You know how her guards are, they'll kill you the first chance they get- regardless of what importance the message you are carrying holds." He warned his beast.

Shisen rolled his eyes, knowing all too well of the dangers the place held. He'd been there a few times before, but it was never a place he wished to visit willingly. It held too much misfortune and the inhabitants held no morals for the kinder folk of Wonderland. For all Shisen could care, they could crawl back into the holes they came from if it meant things would return to how they used to be. He would take backup if he could but he was the strongest inu in the pack- minus his master of course. He wouldn't risk their lives for a simple delivery. Plus, he had more wits about him.

Although he despised travelling to such a place, he knew the risks. It was tricky getting in, but even trickier getting out. In the past times he'd gone, the guards 'protecting' the palace had become much stronger, so strong in fact that their movements were slick and their throwing arms strong. He'd almost lost his tail on the last run from a soldier's low swing, escaping luckily enough with just a minor scrape. If the guard had been more precise then his tail would have become a short stump! Still, _she _was always for beheading.

Shisen wagged his tail, not wanting to imagine himself without his tail. He moved his focus back towards the Zodiac.

A sigh escaped Shigure's lips at the inu's stare, finding himself crouched before him with a worried frown marring his face. "Shisen." He said, bowing his head. "Just be careful, alright? There'll be more guards than usual with the rumours floating around about the prophet; she's never careless." He scratched his head, staring at the uncontrollable drool leaking through the parchment held between the inu's canines. '_Better swap that around.' _"Here," he took the scroll from his mouth and stuffed it into the makeshift collar around his neck. "It's much easier to carry this way," he nodded to himself, glancing back at the dog with an exasperate expression. "Look, I know you're confident in your abilities but you still need to be careful," he rasped, raising to his feet. "Now go, and don't take too long or I'll worry," he gave him a pained smile before turning away.

He heard the inu's huffed retort, barely making out his departing footfalls before he released a thunderous howl, signalling his leave to the other hounds. Their resounding calls answered back straight after the first, mixing with the subtle breeze of the forest.

With a strained grimace Shigure retreated back inside.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>30th November 2014

**Words: **557

**Symm: **Hm, does anyone know who the letter is for yet? Also, for those of you who don't know, _inu_ translates to 'dog'.


	72. Brothers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 72: Brothers<strong>

Back in the kitchen, Ayame was too busy taking out the preheated plaster from the oven to notice Shigure's absence, thinking he was still writing in his study. Yuki stood on the other side of the room, cleaning the stove and countertops with a clean rag cloth, enjoying the silence while it lasted.

"There we go," Ayame grinned, wafting away the smoke from the pan. He placed it upon the clean countertop and slipped his clammy hands out from the over-sized oven gloves, letting them flop down next to the steaming plaster. The snake smiled in triumph at his latest creation, thinking it was a miracle it had even worked. "Yuki!" he signalled his brother over with a wave. "Be a dear and grab me the roll of bandages?" he smiled sweetly, batting his eyelashes.

Yuki scowled, spinning on his heel with a displeased grunt. Why did he have to be related to such a crazy sibling? The rat threw a suspicious glance back before grabbing the bandages from the nearest cupboard and handing them off to his older brother. Ayame grinned, patting his head affectionately as a budding feeling opened up in his chest.

"You're so nice today, Yuki!" he sang, bouncing with enthusiasm and delight. "Maybe we should practice more bonding activities-"

Yuki held up his hand to stop the snake from going any further. "No. Don't even think about it," he shook his head, handing him the medical bag he knew he would be asking for next.

Ayame felt a flicker of disappointment in his heart but broadened his smile, not wanting to look affected by his brother's remark. Yuki obviously hated his witty affection and hugs, but deep down Ayame knew that he didn't really hate him. _'Yuki could never hate anyone.'_ He thought to himself, settling his eyes on the rat. '_Other than Kyo, of course'._ He grimaced.

Ayame sighed, returning his gaze back to the pan of plaster. '_It must be cool by now_,' he believed, pressing on towards the counter. He placed a tentative hand on the base, finding it cool enough to touch. "Alrighty then!" he stuffed the bandages into his pocket before grabbing the pan with both hands. "Come along, Yuki." He ordered, taking on a relaxed tone while his brother followed sourly behind, cradling the medic bag in his hands.

The two gradually made their way up the wooden stairs, being careful not to bump or knock into anything as they went, and creeping quietly past Shigure's office as not to disturb him during his work. Ayame handed over the bowl to his brother once they reached the guest room and raised his hand, performing a series of quiet mismatched knocks on the door.

Yuki rolled his eyes. "Can't you knock properly?" he scowled, waiting patiently for Tohru's reply.

Her voice travelled out the room in gentle wisps, calling them in with a quiet, _"Come in,"_ in which they obliged.

The snake's eyes drew to her tired form hunched over in the bed, regrettably feeling a wave of tension and guilt as his previous words came into mind. His words had been sharp and brittle yet they were never meant to hurt her. He only meant to snap her back to reality and allow her to understand how much they needed her- something she still didn't understand.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>7th December 2014

**Words: **568

**Symm: **I'm finding that the title names are becoming much harder to come up with the more I progress on with the story. Sometimes I wish that I would have just called the chapters as simply **Chapter (blank)** instead of adding in the mini titles after the numbers. I don't know how I'm going to cope when I reach the hundreds!

Thanks for reviewing **TohruKyoYuki!**


	73. Plaster

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 73: Plaster<strong>

He moved in closer, watching Yuki stumble in as he struggled to keep the pan of plaster upright while juggling the medic bag with his other hand. Leaving the door ajar Ayame covered the rest of the distance towards Tohru, feeling her watchful eyes level with his hand as he fished out the roll of bandages and knelt beside her, placing them on the nightstand parallel to her bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, keeping within his boundary as not to startle her with how close he sat. Tohru met his worried eyes and released a sigh, feeling her cheeks rise as she gave him a tired smile. Her recent tumble had tired her out more than she was letting on, yet the throbbing pain in her arm had kept her awake the previous night, leaving her sore and restless with an irritating headache.

"I feel a little sick," she confessed with a croak, nodding at the temporary bandage hiding her wound. "And my arm hurts," she winced, hating how weak she sounded. She didn't want to impose on them because it made her feel vulnerable. She was the prophet, she had to stay strong. No matter how many times she tried to get settled the discomfort that surfaced was painstakingly noticeable, probing her senses and keeping her mind alert and awake.

Ayame nodded, seeming to understand the effects of such an injury. "It will be sore for a few days," he acknowledged, "and you're still burning off your fever," he sighed, ushering Yuki over to take the warm pan of plaster from him. "However, I have good news!" he suddenly exclaimed, receiving a warning growl from his brother. He cringed. "H-Here is the plaster I told you I was going to make. It'll help the bones in your arm knit back together much more quickly than the _'let nature take its course'_ route!"

Yuki shook his head, finding his brother's enthusiasm annoying. The rat dropped the medic bag onto the table beside the bandages before taking a few short steps towards the bed, meeting Tohru's eyes for the first time in months. "Hello Miss Honda," he smiled, slowly lowering himself down onto the bed. He ignored Ayame's frown. "It's nice to finally speak with you."

Tohru withdrew her eyes from the snake to focus on the rat, fiddling with the bed sheets as she spoke. "Yuki," she smiled, "you look well." She sniffled quietly, grimacing as a sudden thought crossed her mind. Tohru had last seen Yuki back in the real world right before he and Kyo had wandered off to fetch the picnic basket for their suggested excursion, leaving her and Kisa to wait for their return. But she never had a chance to say goodbye to him _nor_ Kisa after Momiji's sudden appearance amongst the foliage, leading her off to this other realm known as Wonderland.

She was still confused with this whole other world, still contemplating whether it was all a dream or perhaps reality. But right now, she had her bets on reality because her wound was _excruciating._ She'd never experienced anything like it; not even in a dream.

Tohru nodded, sending him another smile before refocusing on Ayame, or more importantly- what he held in his hands. The Zodiac was grasping a wide pan of an odd substance which was a stark white in colour and matched his long, soft hair, releasing a transparent swirl of steam that wasn't quite _pleasing_ to her nose.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>17th December 2014

**Words: **592

**Symm: **So, only 8 sleeps till Christmas. Is anyone in the festive mood yet? I kind of am, but it's on and off. I finished my second term in College today which I am happy about because this week _dragged_. Plus, my auntie bought herself a little Chihuahua and he is so cute! She sent me a picture and he's so tiny, he literally fits in the palm of my Bampa's hand! His name is Buddy and I get to see him on Saturday, I can't wait!

Quick Fact: _Bampa_ is a Welsh term for Granddad/Grandpa/Grandfather.

Thanks for following **princesscherrysaku, welshcanadian14, pokemonflower9379!**

Thanks for reviewing **Crystal Rose Bell, thunder2010!**

Thanks for the favourite **welshcanadian14!**


	74. A Perfect Cast

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 74: A Perfect Cast<strong>

"W-Why is it smoking?" she asked, wafting away the approaching swirls. She swapped a worried look with Yuki, feeling surprised that he had let him use the oven.

"Because I popped it in the cooker!" Ayame answered simply, confused with her worried look.

"I-Is it supposed to be heated?"

Ayame chuckled, brushing off her doubtful eyes. "Trust me," he exhaled, "Hatori taught me how to make it! And to answer your question, yes, it does need to be heated. If I had baked the whole thing completely through then we'd have a rock solid mould stuck in the pan! By preheating the plaster it allows me to mould it into shape, however it does dry quickly which is why I have to put in on now before it hardens," he prattled on, grabbing the prophet's arm in the process. "Now, keep still my dear, Tohru. This won't hurt a bit!" he said, placing the pan in his lap.

Yuki moved closer and began to change the old bandage around her arm, swapping it out with the cleaner roll from the bedside stand. With quick, careful spins he covered her wound in double wraps before tying the ends off with a small knot, stepping back for his brother to take over.

Tohru flinched at Ayame's undeniable courage as he shoved his whole hand into the white mixture, shooting her a smile before smothering it upon the new bandage. Although his fingers pressed lightly on her arm they still sent jerking sensations across her skin, producing an irritated scowl on her face as she tried to deal with the jolts of pain.

With careful precision the snake created layer after layer upon Tohru's injury as the mould began to take shape, drying much quicker than he had anticipated. He paused in motion, glancing down at the small amount left in the pan before switching his gaze to her drying cast, feeling his eyes lighten as an idea struck him.

Before Tohru could protest Ayame dumped the rest of the mixture over her arm, causing the thicker clumps to slide off and stick to the bed covers. He dumped the pan on the bed and quickly manoeuvred his sticky hands around her limb, forming a slender cylinder surrounding her arm.

Yuki cursed loudly, glaring at the drying clumps of plaster staining the clean bed sheets. He had only washed them two days ago!

Tohru closed her eyes. The smothering sensation had grown distant as the layers thickened and grew, producing a safety pillow around her laceration. She felt Ayame's touch lighten and so she opened her eyes, finding him staring down with pride at his second creation of the day.

"It's perfect!" he threw his hands in the air with a grin, sending a short flicker of plaster across Yuki's cheeks. The rat pierced his brother with a speckled face, feeling the goo slide down his nose. "Oops, sorry!" Ayame puffed out his cheeks into a sheepish smile, waving his hand about. "That was a complete accident!"

Tohru stifled her giggle, leaving the brothers to sort it out themselves while she gazed curiously at her cast. She raised her hand and tapped the covering with her nail, surprised at how fast it had dried.

"You can move try moving it now," Yuki spoke up, shoving past his brother while his hands failed miserably at removing the white speckles covering his cheeks. Ayame chuckled, moving beside his brother to observe.

"Go ahead," he said.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>17th December 2014

**Words: **591

**Symm: **Thanks for reading!


	75. Brisk Assumptions

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 75: Brisk Assumptions<strong>

Tohru nodded, poking her plastered arm to relieve the numb tingles, trying to get the blood flowing again. Her lips set into a thin line and she attempted to lift her arm, smiling briefly as it hovered a little above the sheets. The good news was that it didn't hurt. The cast was heavier than it looked and weighed her down, but it was something she could get use to after a bit more practice.

Even though the weight was a little overbearing, she knew it would protect her if she accidentally bumped into something. Satisfied with her success Tohru lowered her arm back down onto the covers, sending the two Zodiac's a pleased smile. "It worked!"

"That's wonderful!" Ayame cheered, bouncing on the heels of his feet. "It's spectacular," he babbled, "wonderful, marvelous-"

"And exceptionally shaped." Shigure interjected from the doorway.

Yuki shifted on his feet, watching the enthusiasm disappear from his brother's steps as he reached over the bed, grabbing the mucky pan with a frown fixed in place.

"Ah, Shigure," he smiled thinly, lowering his eyes towards the crisp blood drying on his hands. "I-I fixed Tohru's arm as best as I could. Now all we have to do is wait..." He trailed off, clapping his hands together. "A-Anyway!" he said quickly, glancing back at his brother with hardened eyes. "I guess I should get cleaned up," he nodded at his hands, tightening his hold on the pan as he skirted around Shigure and left the room.

Tohru watched the snake leave, misunderstanding the situation. Had they argued over something while she slept? She glanced at Yuki, noticing his narrowed gaze aimed at the dog. _'Or perhaps Yuki heard about...a-about Kyo?'_

They had always clashed.

She raised her head to look back at Shigure leaning against the doorway, staring right back at the rat with an even look.

Feeling her eyes fixate upon his face the dog peered over, giving her a calming smile before saying, "Yuki, why don't you also _get cleaned up._" He took a step towards him, eyes flickering towards the speckles of plaster painting his face. "You have...something on your face," he smirked.

Yuki clenched his hands into fists, closing his eyes momentarily as he counted down from ten in slow, deep breaths before spinning on his heel as he hid his scowl. With shaking hands the Zodiac turned to Tohru, softening his gaze before asking the prophet to carefully move out of the bed, taking her good arm in his grasp to help her stand.

Tohru stood on nimble feet as she leant on Yuki for support, allowing him to transfer her over to the puffy, beige couch angled towards the window, watching him stalk back over to the bed to remove the sheets.

He stripped the bed in a matter of seconds, folding the dirty covers into rushed rectangles. However, as he began to slide the pillows from their slips he stopped, bowing his head as he said, "I heard howling from the back of the house."

"And?" Shigure replied evenly.

"You obviously called your _hounds _for something. And it wasn't for a social call." He grabbed the rest of the sheets, spinning to face him.

Shigure slowly nodded, crossing his arms. "I don't see how this is any of your business, but if you _must_ know," he winced, "I sent them to find Kyo." Tohru's eyes brightened at his words.

The rat briskly excused himself after the cat's name, leaving Tohru alone with Shigure.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>18th December 2014

**Words: **600

**Symm: **Only 7 sleeps to go till Christmas! Thanks for reading ;)


	76. Another Problem

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 76: Another Problem<strong>

Yuki's departure was brutal, leaving the remaining pair to wait in silence as neither chose to speak. Tohru felt awkward as her eyes flickered around the room, trying to change her focus on something other than the rat. And the room was a good place to start.

With her bed sheets gone all that was left was a stark white mattress and its wooden frame, leaving the two pillows discarded off to the side. Since she had been asleep for a few days she hadn't really had a chance to look around properly, finding herself too tired to venture from her bed.

The walls were painted a sheer ashen grey with empty frames arranged in zigzags filling its surface, casting darker shades with their light brown edges. A large rectangular window sat opposite the beige couch she was seated in, draped with maroon curtains that showed tiny white birds etched into the trims. It was a decent sized room, having a similar layout to Shigure's other house back in the real world.

As her eyes explored the room more Shigure came into view, staring blindly at the ceiling as he also appeared to be deep in thought. Tohru cleared her throat to break the silence but stopped, finding her wide eyes trained over the crusted blood staining his hands. Her gasp brought the Zodiac back as he found himself suddenly hovering beside her, kneeling down to meet her levelled stare.

"W-What happened here?" she caressed his bloody hands, gently dabbing the shallow nail marks dotting his skin.

Shigure winced slightly, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him as her panicked face came into view. He didn't want her sympathy- hell, he didn't _deserve_ it. "I got a bit angry, nothing to worry about," he tried to reassure her but Tohru wouldn't let him.

Her grip tightened around his hands and her lip trembled as she tried to hold back her tears. "W-Why did you do that to yourself? It must have hurt-"

"Tohru," he shook his head, sliding his hands away with a look of discomfort flaring in his eyes. "Trust me, _I'm fine_," he said through clenched teeth, tensing his hands against his sides. He sighed. _'__First Shisen, and now Tohru? Damn, even Ayame was worried over these stupid cuts!'_ he barked internally, running a hand through his tangled hair.

Tohru looked away after seeing the apparent despair in his eyes. He was almost begging her to back away, to let him sort through it alone. So she didn't push. Instead, she forced her lips into a thin smile before handing him the roll of bandages that had been left behind. "I'm sorry," she sighed, staring down at her cast. "I won't ask." _'__For now.'_ She added to herself. She knew he was hiding something and it was eating away at her because she had to do _something_. She was the prophet! It was her job to sort out their problems!

Shigure nodded, flashing her a relieved smile which made her heart sink. Tohru wished she could be patient enough to _wait_ for him to confess to her, but she didn't have the time to spare. She had to fix his problem and move on before the Queen's croquet game came into play. So she would leave him alone for now before embarking deeper into the mystery he was hiding.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>21st December 2014

**Words: **576

**Symm: **After visiting my Auntie's dog yesterday I am now fully revived and have my writing juices flowing! But seriously, that dog is beyond adorable. He literally fits in the palm of hands and weighs hardly anything! If I could show you all a picture I would!

Thanks for reviewing **DemonHeart42, Daniisnotonfire!**


	77. Half Truth

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 77: Half Truth<strong>

"W-What was Yuki so upset about?" she asked curiously, wiggling her fingers experimentally with the new added weight. When Shigure said nothing she frowned, trying to explain better. "H-He asked you about howling...What did he mean exactly? I didn't hear any howls at all!" she paused momentarily, glancing out the window.

"Perhaps you were too deep in thought to have heard them." Shigure supplied half-heartedly with a crooked smile.

"So there _was_ howling."

The dog winced, cursing himself internally for his stupid mistake. "H-Hmm, I guess so."

"But why did it upset Yuki so much? His voice turned cold and he made such a sour expression," she recalled, sucking in a haggard breath. "I've never seen that side of him before; he never gets that angry, not even with Kyo," she finished, oblivious to the worry so plain on her face.

Shigure, who had caught onto her worry knitted his brows together as he fretted over the girl's heart-warming concern for the boy. '_It wouldn't hurt to indulge her just a little_,' his thoughts rang out in his head, changing his mood ever so slightly as a smug smile tugged at his lips. "Tohru," he said, grasping her delicate hands. "Sometimes people fight over petty things," he began slowly, "usually ending with the problem being solved or with them feeling bitter towards one another- and this is the same. Yuki believes I've called my Zodiac creatures to commit some _evil deed_," he chuckled darkly, releasing her hands to wring his own in his lap. "B-But he's wrong because that's not it at all," his expression wavered.

Tohru held still, feeling unsettled. She opened her mouth, feeling the tiredness creep in. "Then I'll fix it." She said, feeling the weight of his gaze settle on her face. "...I-I'm sure Yuki had his reasons, Shigure." She paused at his nod, feeling pressed to ask. "...But why did you call them?"

A conflict of emotion crossed his gaze and made Tohru instantly regret her words, ending with a distressed look plaguing his features. "I asked them to find Kyo, and that bird friends of yours- Fin? Fon?" he answered, glancing away as an inner turmoil struck him deep within- one which she couldn't see.

"Fen," she corrected with a smile, taking a moment to let his words sink in. Shigure _had_ mentioned his quest in finding her friends to Yuki moments ago, yet it still didn't seem right. Yuki didn't seem too convinced either and was obviously upset over something. Perhaps she should ask him herself.

Thinking about it, Shigure _had_ taken a long pause before answering, leaving that air of suspicion to circle around in the back of her mind. She wouldn't say she wasn't pleased with his answer because she couldn't wait to see Kyo again; she knew that part was true! But there was something underlying his message, something he was keeping to himself.

And maybe by finding and solving it, she could repay him back for saving her.

And obtain her second stamp.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>21st December 2014

**Words: **556

**Symm: **It's the Winter Solstice today, yet there is no snow where I live, just some strong gusts of wind and depressing rain. I really wanted snow this year but I don't think that's gonna happen now. A White Christmas is out of the picture. Only 4 sleeps to go ;)


	78. Morning Troubles

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 78: Morning Troubles<strong>

The next morning Tohru found herself sitting at the kitchen table along with Yuki, Ayame and Shigure, feeling fully revived after last nights long, relaxing sleep. Her arm ached a little but she knew it was inevitable. It would take a few weeks before the wound was completely healed and she didn't want to strain it too much.

When she had awoken this morning she couldn't help but stare frustratingly at her grubby dress covered in God knows what from her expedition. She was in desperate need of a bath and Ayame couldn't have come in at a more convenient time. He had helped her to the bathroom where her struggle began as she began to undress, ending up with a ripped summer dress covering her feet- having been ripped to shreds in order for the prophet to bathe. And her struggle had only just began.

Washing with one hand was exhausting enough and when it was time for her hair to be cleaned her luck just went down from there. She had lost count of how many times the soap went in her eyes, or how many bottles of shampoo she had dropped over the edge of the bath. She even had to use _men's _hair wash which only made her miss the blueberry scents of her own back at home.

Redressing was the next step and having brought no extra clothes Tohru had sighed, finding herself stuck in the slippery bathroom with a towel wrapped around her frame. Ayame had to come back and help her get dressed, wishing she had allowed him make her a dress by hand. But she let him down easy, saying it would take too long and ended up with Shigure's hand-me-downs instead. The trousers were too long and had to be rolled up while the sleeves of her shirt had to be tacked back, hidden neatly beneath the navy haori draped on top.

Once Tohru was finally dressed she hobbled down the stairs, sitting down for a round of tea with the Zodiacs. And despite all the hardships this morning she felt fresh as a daisy.

"So," Shigure began, stirring his freshly brewed tea. "I see my clothes fit you well."

"With a few adjustments of course." Ayame added with a wink, grabbing the tea pot to pour himself another cup.

"Yes," Tohru giggled, nodding in appreciation. "Thank you for lending them to me."

Shigure grinned, taking a sip of his tea. "That's alright, Tohru. They were just spare clothes for when Yuki finally _grows_," he chuckled quietly to himself, receiving a glare from the rat.

"My height is fine, thank you very much."

"Of course it is!" Tohru smiled, staring down at her tea, stopping the argument before it even started. She cleared her throat, staring at the dog in awe. "I-I know it's a little short timing but I would like to thank you for saving me Shigure," she nodded, tapping her nail against her cup. "And you two as well, for helping with my cast." She said.

"Ah, no need to thank us!" Ayame patted her back and Shigure nodded silently.

"You're our friend, Miss Honda. I'm sure you would do the same for us," Yuki said.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>24th December 2014

**Words: **550

**Symm: **A _haori _is a lightweight coat worn over a kimono. It isn't meant to close in front and is left open, wearing it almost like a jacket. SO! It's finally Christmas tomorrow, is everyone excited? I thought I would put up a chapter today because I'm having a weeks break of relaxation from Fanfiction! I'm sure I'll be typing up the next chapters during the break but I won't be updating them until sometime next week. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and I'll see you soon!


	79. Stories

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Baskets.

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><p><strong>Chapter 79: Stories<strong>

Tohru nodded, hiding her embarrassment with a weak smile. She was thankful to them, and she knew she had to pay them back for their help. If it hadn't been for them, she wouldn't have known _where_ she'd have ended up. She had been was lucky.

Tohru was surprised she had even survived such a fall, wondering if the Kami's were just keeping her alive long enough to fix this broken Wonderland. Whether this was her fate from the very beginning, she didn't know. But she knew she had to try- it was the least she could do.

"Now, seeming that our pleasant gratitude's are over and done with, why don't you enlighten us on how you first came to Wonderland," Shigure suggested, curious of the other-worldly girl. "I'm interested in your tale, little prophet."

Tohru blinked very slowly, processing the dog's words. "F-From the beginning?" she spluttered, running her eyes over the others.

"The _very_ beginning." Shigure grinned, leaning back in a comfortable manner.

Tohru nodded shyly, drawing her eyes to the still tea sitting in her forgotten cup. "...H-Here I go...I guess," she choked, thinking back to the start of her journey to where it all began, mindful of the watchful eyes.

With an unravelling mind, Tohru went back to the start of her adventure, beginning back in her own world. She told them about the start of their failed picnic, skipping over how Kyo and Yuki had to go and fetch the misplaced picnic basket while she waited on the river bank beside Kisa, watching her scan through a book. She spoke of Momiji's sudden appearance- on why she had followed him and how she had fallen down the bottomless pit, rocketing past the floating jars and chairs on her way down.

She went on to speak of her entanglement in the tsunami of confetti where she later met Fen, moving on to her sudden visit with Hatori, and how she found out she was the long-awaited prophet; followed by Hatori's mishap of words revolving around his stamp, which later lead her to obtaining Momiji's stamp instead and finally encountering Kyo escaping from Kagura.

With a relaxing breath, Tohru skipping over the grey area surrounding her fall, finishing with her waking up at Shigure's.

"Oh, it sounds so exciting!" Ayame exclaimed, applauding her efforts on catching them up. "So marvellous!"

"Hm, indeed," Shigure nodded, narrowing his gaze ever so slightly. She hadn't told them about how she got separated from the others, _or _how he had saved her from the beast. He parted his lips, getting ready to ask, but the rat beat him to it.

"Miss Honda," Yuki called. "How about your injures? I seemed to have missed that part," he met her gaze, wondering how she could have left out such a huge chunk of the story. "Tohru?" he pressed.

The prophet lowered her eyes, clenching her hands from their view under the table.

He had hit her grey area.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>25th January 2015

**Words: **513

**Symm: **Welcome to (a very later start of) 2015! It has been practically a month since the last update, and I am so sorry for the wait. I had a week off from Fanfiction and even bought myself a laptop. I'm still trying to get used to the size difference (I scaled up from a netbook to a laptop). For some reason I have a dodgy 'I' key which refuses to cooperate most of the time- it can be very frustrating! But I wanted to update at least one of my stories since I'm going away to Paris for four days on a college trip tomorrow morning.  
>The reason behind my lack of updates is basically LIFE and COLLEGE. I'm already halfway through my first year in college and feel as if everything has been piled onto me all at once. I've got two final projects to do for the first unit's of two of my courses and am being rushed through a stack of poetry which I have to analyse and such for the end of year exam. Life has become a little stressful, something which I've never encountered before. It doesn't help that I'm missing some important work while I'm away on this trip, but I think it'll do me some good. It's a break so I have to enjoy it. I'll hopefully update when I get back, but I can't guarantee a new chapter right away since I need to finish some other work before this.<p>

But thanks to those of you who have stuck with me and have waited patiently for this update. I'm sorry it's short, but it's all could whip up within the hour since I've been busy with trying to stuff everything into my suitcase. Who knew it could be so frustrating! Thanks for reading!

Thanks for following **Freyja Reinhardt, The hounds girl**, **Pikagirl227!**

Thanks for reviewing **Kateeld!**

Thanks for the favourite **The hounds girl, Pikagirl227!**


	80. Blatant Lies

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 80: Blatant Lies<strong>

When she had first woken up in the Sohma house, Tohru had blatantly lied through her teeth about what had gone on before Shigure had found her, drawing the trio away from the truth with a story of her simply tripping over a foreign object and hitting her head, rendering her unconscious at the hit. With Tohru's clumsy nature, it was a believable story.

Yet it no longer fooled them.

The prophet gave her tiny fists a final squeeze before raising her gaze to her untouched tea; circling her shaking hands around the cold surface of the cup. She had to tell them the truth. "...T-There's something I must tell you all first," she began, her voice thick with regret and guilt. "The first time you asked what happened to cause such injuries upon me...I-I lie-" Her throat closed up, wanting to trap the truth back and lock it away somewhere deep. But she couldn't. Tohru swallowed thickly, licking her dry lips. "...I lied. About the fall. I-I didn't mean to b-but-" She shook her head, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. "It was too hard to talk about it then. It isn't any easier _now_, but you deserve to hear the truth."

Tohru exhaled through her nose, taking in a jittery breath after neither of the Zodiac's spoke. Not wanting to wait for their anger to appear, Tohru carried on in hopes of them understanding. "K-Kyo and Fen must think I'm dead." She whimpered, bringing her tea to her mouth before taking a sip. It was stone cold, but she didn't notice, being too wrapped up in her own grovelling to feel it. "I'm such an idiot." She mopped.

"_Tohru._" Ayame strained, breaking the silence between them with a sigh. "You're not an idiot. People lie all the time. Sometimes it's for their own benefits, but we all know you were only trying to protect them." He reassured her, wanting nothing more than to reach out and comfort her. "...But, what did you want to protect them _from_? You never mentioned how you got separated."

Tohru shrugged, her hands trembling at the thought. "I don't know. But I'm sure you're curious as to how it really happened?"

The snake nodded, furrowing his brows before taking her frozen tea out of her hands, flinching at the cold temperature. "Please, go ahead." He said. The prophet bit her lip, appearing lost in her thoughts for the moment. _'Is she upset?'_ Ayame frowned, ushering her on with a gentle pat on the head. "It's alright, we won't judge." He looked back at Yuki and Shigure who had been silent throughout the whole exchange, assessing their reactions to be placid before allowing her to continue.

Tohru nodded, casting a quick glance at Yuki before continuing. "I guess it started when we arrived at a corn field." She began, twiddling her thumbs nervously as she recalled the recent events. "Kyo, Fen and I had been walking for days and hadn't rested as much as we should have, nor had we had any nourishments along the way. We were all hungry. And then Fen suggested that we should eat the corn, but I wasn't so sure. The colours were off, being a blue and pink instead of yellow and green."

"The corn field you were in belongs to me." Yuki piped up, meeting her shy gaze with a confusing look. "I like growing our own food."

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>12th April 2015

**Words: **599

**Symm: **I'M SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I've been busy since the last update, SO busy that it hadn't even crossed my mind to update. My mind kept telling me that I already updated which is why I moved on to editing my Ghost Hunt story and re-doing the chapters (which took way longer than I had intended). AGAIN, I am sorry.

BTW, I have decided to start updating this story with a few chapters at a time, rather than one every week or so since it's much easier to read a job-lot all in one go. Would that make it easier?

**Geust: Why thank you. I would if I could! XD**

Thanks for the review **DemonHeart42, Geust!**

Thanks or the favourite **Aipom4, Chemical Cat, xSiReNs, meikyuubatafurai, BrittNelson, emolover1219, lafoodoo!**

Thanks for following **ChemicalCat, phantomia-fantasy, xSiReNs, meikyuubatafurai, Buonumore, Adri-Swan, emolover1219, lafoodoo!**


	81. The Truth

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 81: The Truth<strong>

Tohru was surprised at his interruption but nodded anyway, sending a strand of auburn hair to fall beside her cheek. "Oh, I-I'm sorry we ate some of your corn." She blushed, shooting him an apologetic look as she brushed the loose strand of hair back behind her ear. "We didn't know."

Yuki waved his hand up and down in a relaxed motion. "It's quite alright, Tohru."

The prophet nodded, hiding her smile. He wasn't angry. So she carried on.

"Despite my worries I ate the corn anyway, but after a few minutes it made me nauseous, and the next thing I remember was collapsing. I fainted. It seemed that only a few minutes had passed before I opened my eyes, and before I knew it all three of us were left stranded on a corn leaf _high _above the ground! I realised we had shrunk, which explained the sudden growth of the corn plants and why we were able to fit on the leaf.

Even thought it was Fen's suggestion to eat the corn, he blamed our sudden lack of height on Kyo since he calmed our worries of the corn being bad; Kyo retaliated and they started arguing." She shook her head. "Kyo tried to tackled Fen but I blocked his path to stop them from hurting each other, interrupting his tackle which sent him tumbling into Fen. I was tired with them, they had been arguing throughout the whole trip and I just wanted them to stop. But then the inevitable happened.

I heard something snap from underneath us. The leaf must have broke from their sudden tumble, and I couldn't stop myself from sliding down as the leaf bent." Tohru shivered at the memory, clearing her throat. "Kyo threw himself after me and somehow managed to snag me by my dress, saving me; he'd stabbed his other claw into the tip of the leaf. Fen appeared hovering above us and I thought we were going to be alright. He grabbed our hands with his clawed feet just in time since the corn plant broke entirely from beneath us and collapsed. But he couldn't hold the both of us; he wasn't strong enough.

I could see the inner conflict he was having as his emotions were left vulnerable across his face. I didn't want him to drop Kyo. If Kyo died, then I'd never be able to save Wonderland. His problem would be left unsolved and Wonderland would never be fixed...So I told Fen to drop me. Kyo yelled at me for being saying something stupid, but if he dropped me then I would have a chance of surviving since the Kami's have kept me alive so far." She paused, dropping her gaze to the table cloth. "I thought, 'why does it have to be one of them to fall?' After all, the girl is always the _damsel in distress _in these types of situations. Why wasn't I an option? So I thought, 'why not me?'

Fen didn't want to drop me, I could see it in his face. But somehow, he could tell I wanted Kyo to live. It was as if Fen understood what I was thinking, and then he knew what he had to do. H-He gave me a fleeting smile- a smile filled with sorrow as he apologized. He _apologized_ for my decision." She broke off, feeling a heavy layer of guilt settle against the base of her throat. "...And he let me go."

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>12th April 2015

**Words: **570

**Symm: **I have my exams soon, but I hate revising. It feels like a chore most of the time. But thankfully I only have two written exams since my other two are in two weeks since they're more artsy subjects. Thanks for reading :)


	82. A Snake's Affection

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 82: A Snake's Affections<strong>

The silence that followed was uncomfortable. Nobody knew what to say to fill the quiet atmosphere, or how to comfort the trembling girl as she recalled her fateful night. So Tohru chose for them.

"To say I wasn't scared would be a lie. Freefalling from such a height was something I'd never experienced –something I _never _wish to experience again. Kyo's cry was the last thing I heard as I fell, and I thought it was a sign that I was going to die." She sighed. "But the Kamis had other ideas. When I hit the ground I was abruptly surrounded by pain and nausia- it was excrutiating. I didn't know what to do." She shook her head, taking a deep breath to settle her nerves. "I lay there hoping that Kyo or Fen would find me." Her voice thickened with a hint of sadness as she wiped at her eyes. "They never came, so I decided to look for them myself. However, moving with a broken arm wasn't so easy." She smiled half-heartedly, tapping her fingers across the make-shift cast encasing her arm. "I didn't find them, of course. S-Something else got to me first."

"...Something...else?" Yuki frowned, swapping a worried look with his brother. "What was it?"

Tohru shook her head. "I'm not really sure. It was so tall that it towered over me; it was like a giant! It had big red eyes and a coiled tail that looked similar to rope." She replied, lifting her hands to show them its unbelievable size. "It tried to chase me but Shigure got to me first and saved me, but I collapsed before I could thank him." She shot him a shy glance before returning her gaze to her cup. "And...the next thing I remembered was waking up here." She finished, unable to hold back the compulsive tug as a half-smile spread across her lips.

Everyone was silent as they let the prophet's words sink- well, all except one that is.

Ayame randomly puffed out his cheeks until they grew as red as a tomato before suddenly throwing himself from his seat. "Oh, Tohru!" Ayame exclaimed, lunging across the table and spilling Shigure's tea all over the dog's haori in the process as he grabbed Tohru by the shoulders and rubbed his cheek against hers in a lovingly way.

"A-A-y-ame!" Tohru spluttered, finding herself trapped within the snake's embrace as he continued to nuzzle her redened cheeks in an attempt to comfort the poor girl –but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. "It must have been so scary! My poor Tohru, I should have been there for you!" He cried, lounging across the table on his stomach while he trapped the prophet in her seat with a giant hug.

"_Snake, _you're suffocating Miss Honda_._" Yuki growled, shoving his seat back in anger at his brother's blatant affection.

"Aw, Yuki!" Ayame stopped his nuzzling, pulling back from the blushing prophet as he set his sights on a new target. _"YUKIIIIIIIIIIIII!"_ Ayame went to pounce on his brother, but Yuki had other ideas.

Instead, Ayame collided with the cold floor rather than his brother's warm body, grinding his face against the tiles as he sobbed at his brother's open rejection. Nothing ever changed between these pair.

Yuki flinched at the inhuman wail that seemed to be emitting from the..._thing_ on the floor wearing his brother's clothes. He narrowed his gaze at the thought of the zodiac hugging him to death, concluding that it was more of a punishment than a display of loving affection.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>13th May 2015

**Words: **598

**Symm: **Finally, an update. I've decided that from now on I won't be adding any A.N to the chapters since with drabbles, it is much more easier to go on to the next chapter without having to scroll through all the Author Notes. So, enjoy!

Thanks for reviewing **Kurosakura1925, DemonHeart42!**

Thanks for favourite **Abode of Mist, 18alewhipvhs, Gabby-Hunter, pandasxawesome, Kaoru-chibimaster, jstevenson!**

Thanks for the follow **Abode of Mist, pandasxawesome, jstevenson!**


	83. Crazed Prophet

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 83: Crazed Prophet<strong>

"Are you alright, Tohru?" Yuki asked as he stepped over his brother's body sprawled out on the floor, breaking the prophet from her trance.

"Eh? A-Ah, yes, Yuki. Thank you," she blinked rapidly, fanning away her blush with her hand. Tohru glanced at her standing teacup, having left the brown liquid too long for it to now be at an appropriate temperature to drink. She caught Shigure's eye from across the table, noticing the way he flicked the dripping liquid from his hands with a few quick shakes. "Oh no, Shigure! Are you OK?" She stumbled to her feet and hurried over, flittering around his form to make sure there were no burn marks or red blotches.

"Don't panic, Tohru." Shigure waved her away, wiping his hands on his tea-stained haori with a deflated sigh. "And I just washed this one too..."

"Ah! It's all my fault!" Tohru cried, covering her mouth with her hands. "This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't looked so sad for Ayame to want to comfort me! I'm so sorry, Shigure! Sorry!" She whined, grabbing onto his soaked haori with her non-plastered hand. "H-Here, let me help you. I'll go wash it!" She yanked the cloth back, pulling Shigure along with it.

"A-Ack, Tohru. Tohru!" Shigure yelped, tumbling from his chair as the crazed prophet struggled in vain to pull off his outer haori, going on a stretching and yanking frenzy in order to complete her mission. She was stronger than she looked! "I-I'm fine! Tohru, stop! Y-Yuki, YUKI!" He yelled at the expressionless bystander, pleading for his assistance.

Yuki just sighed. Why was it always him? "...Tohru, I'm sure Shigure can handle undressing himself perfectly fine –he is an adult after all." He carefully loosened her grip and began to gently herd her towards the table, carefully sitting her down in the nearest chair. "It's not a big deal." He reassured her.

"C-Can I at least wash it for him? It's the least I can do!"

"...You'll have to ask him that yourself." Yuki frowned, taking up a seat beside her.

Shigure dusted off his pants as he stood, correcting his fallen chair before skirting past them to go change as if the whole incident had never happened, patting Tohru's head on the way in a forgiving manner. "I won't be long~"

"Hm. Why don't we get back on subject?" Yuki asked at an attempt for conversation, placing Shigure's tipped cup back into an upright position.

Tohru eyed the soaked tea marks staining the teal table cloth, oblivious to Yuki's question while she wondered how many washes it would take for them to dissolve. _Or maybe it would come out better if I hand-washed it._

"Tohru."

The prophet jumped at the sound of her name, turning to face Yuki with a surprised look in her eyes. "...Yes?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>13th May 2015

**Words: **500


	84. Manhandling

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 84: Manhandling<strong>

Yuki chose to ignore her detached expression, pressing on with his question. "Could you possibly describe the creature you encountered again? I'm quite curious." He asked, resting his elbows next to hers.

Tohru frowned, but nodded. "Like I said earlier," she gestured to her hands. "The beast was around...this tall," she stretched her arm above her head, struggling to move her casted arm in order to show Yuki the scale range. "And it had _big_ teeth, almost like a rat's." She caught his narrowed glare, immediately realising her mistake as her eyes widened with guilt. "Oh no, sorry! I didn't mean it like that! I meant it as an _insult_- no, a...compliment? I-It was just the shape of the teeth. Yes! T-That's it! The teeth were rectangular like a rat's- _No! _You didn't hear that!" She babbled, oblivious to Yuki's humorous stare. "A-Anyway!" She corrected her composure, forcing down a deep gulp of air before continuing on. "It had large red eyes, and a ropey tail which was the size of a corn leaf!" She exclaimed, throwing her hand up for emphasise.

Yuki nodded, cleverly lowering his head to allow his fringe to hide his amused chuckled at the girl's childish actions. "What about it's body. Was it covered in scales?"

Ayame's sob followed the rat's suggestion as he rolled across the floor, wrapping himself up in his clothes while he wiggled back and forth. "I have scales!" He blubbered with a face full of tear-streaks.

Tohru went to open her mouth to console the snake, but Yuki shook his head, wanting the snake to drown in his misery. "I-It had fur."

_"YUKKIIII!" _Ayame wailed, shimmying across the floor towards his irritated younger brother, slithering his hand around his ankle from under the table before crying against his leg. "Today is the day where we, two brothers, will have a further standing of each other!"

"Really now?" Yuki gripped the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white. Tohru edged back at the dark sensation emitting from her friend while his bangs hid his scowl, and she watched as he slowly yet swiftly rose from his seat. "How nice of you_, brother._" He gave the blubbering snake a fake smile, deviously inching closer until he had a firm grip around the snake's collar before dragging him out from the table and throwing him across the room.

Tohru covered her eyes as the fight broke out, hearing the sharp sound of Ayame's body hitting the floor as he slid across the tiles, exclaiming his love for Yuki and his rough 'manhandling'.

Shigure appeared in the doorway, dressed in a clean pair of clothes which looked a shade darker than his previous one, staring at the chaotic scene before him. "What did I miss?" He sort out Tohru's form huddled against the table, covering her eyes with her hands while Yuki chased after his brother. "Tohru!" He hurried over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Let's put some distance between us and them, little prophet." He tugged her away, shuffling slightly so that he was in front of her.

"Shigure, they won't stop fighting!" She cried, gripping his sleeve in terror.

"What started it?"

"We were talking about the beast!"

Shigure frowned. "The beast?"

"Yes!" Tohru nodded frantically, eyes wide with fright. "The creature in the corn field!"

"Oh, the field mouse?"

Tohru blanked. "T-The...The field mouse?" She spoke amongst the mayhem, completely oblivious to the commotion in the main room as Yuki dumped Ayame into the sink, telling him that he needed to "Cool off."

"EHHH!?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>13th May 2015

**Words: **598


	85. Innocent Snakes

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 85: Innocent Snakes<strong>

Tohru zoned out after her exclaimation, hearing the faint sound of running water in the background. "A field mouse..." She mumbled quietly to herself, giving Shigure's words time to sink in. Tohru recalled the picture of the beast, struggling to make out the wavering picture in her mind. _The beast had fur, just like a mouse. It had large teeth, just like a mouse. And it had a ropey tail...just like a mouse. _She frowned.

A loud girlish shout snapped her out from her trance, followed by the sound of a _poof!_ Tohru blinked back the fog in her vision to find Ayame in zodiac form, wiggling around in the sink while Yuki ran the cold tap water over him.

"Yes, a field mouse. Such a creature is nothing to worry about when you're this size," Shigure gestured to himself. "But, in your shrunken form, someone of your stature would find it a big problem indeed." He paused momentarily. "Maybe the polutents in Yuki's corn field had the opposite effect..."

"Not at all." Yuki interjected, turning off the tap water. "The crops planted around the border of the corn field are meant to be decoys for the pests that try to eat them. The real corn plants are in the centre of the field, among with the other plants I grow. The solution injected into them are supposed to shrink the intruders." He explained, brushing back his fringe. "If they're small, then they can't do too much damage to the plants."

Tohru nodded, catching a glimpse of Ayame sliding out of the sink from the corner of her eye. "...But how can you tell which are real?"

Yuki smiled. "By the colour, Tohru. The solution alters the colour, turning them pink and blue rather than yellow and green." He supplied.

"Ah, so that explains their colour!" She gasped.

Yuki nodded, appearing oblivious to his brother's actions as he slithered across the floor. "The field mouse must have nibbled on too many decoy plants to have grown in size, rather than shrank. Large absorptions of the potion inside the plant has a different effect on animals compared to humans. And since you had also shrank, Tohru, the field mouse must have looked terrifyingly bigger than it should have been." He said, receiving a nod in return.

"I could have fixed the situation by simply stepping on the poor creature, but by the time I arrived it had already knocked you down." Shigure patted her head, ruffling the brown strands with his hand. "Stepping on it would have killed you too, my dear."

A sudden wet feeling attached itself to Tohru's bare foot, making her gasp and look down in shock. A cold sensation slithered up her leg before she could scream, sapping away the warmth beneath her clothes. "S-Shig-Shigu-re..!" She spluttered, gripping his arm for support. "T-There's something-" She broke off as he looked down at her, noticing a sharp movement in her haori.

"...Where's Ayame?" Yuki's sudden question rang alarm bells in her head, and she appeared to settle down at the realisation.

"I'm over here, dear brother." Came the snake's reply, seeming to be emitting from Tohru's top.

Shigure watched as Tohru's haori appeared to wiggle all by itself, raising a brow at the movement. "...Ayame?" The dog called, taking in Tohru's uncomfortable look.

"Yes?" The snake's white head popped out from the collar of Tohru's haori, innocently looking up at the dog in question.

Tohru blushed.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>31st May 2015

**Words: **600

Thanks for the follow **ThatAmazhangFangirl!**


	86. Brotherly Love

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 86: Brotherly Love<strong>

Before anyone could move, Yuki swooped in with a flash and yanked the snake out from his security blanket, cutting off his oxygen with a tight squeeze. He thrust him at Shigure's face, acknowledging Tohru's growing flush as she avoided his gaze.

"_Deal with it or I'll skin it alive._" He ordered sternly, tightening his grip.

Yuki's voice sent shivers down Shigure's spine, leaving his face chalk-white from the rat's darkening expression as he accepted the snake from his grip. Ayame gasped as soon as his brother released him, sucking in the oxygen like a hoover.

"Are you OK, Tohru?"

The prophet bit her lip, massaging her cheeks in hopes of ridding herself of the embarrassed flush staining her face. "I-I'm fine Yuki, thank you." She stuttered back.

"Now Ayame, why don't you apologize to dear Tohru? You gave her quite a fright," Shigure suggested, releasing the snake from his hold.

Ayame slithered down his leg, curling himself up around his tail. "I shall do no such thing. Yuki was the one who bathed me in cold water which is the result of my sudden transformation. So _I _should be the one receiving the apology." He sniffled, causing a withered look to appear on Tohru's face. "You know snake's don't like cold temperatures, and so I instinctively went to the closest warm body which just happened to be Tohru."

"_Ayame._" Yuki growled, stalking closer.

"Oh, Yuki, are you coming to hug me?" The snake said out of disbelief, eyes twinkling with brother love. "Should I have gone to you instead?" He asked, overjoyed.

"S-Shigure," Tohru croaked, flailing her hands around. "It's happening again!"

"Now, now. It's natural for siblings to argue from time to time." Shigure placed a hand on her shoulder out of reassurance. "Everything will be fine-"

"I warned you, snake!" Yuki pounced on the defenseless, lovestruck serpent, grabbing him by the tail. In on quick pull, Yuki had the snake spinning above his head by his tail, swinging him around in a circle multiple times. "Apologize, or I'll let go." He scowled.

Ayame giddily shouted out his love for his brother, completely ignoring his command which ended in him being released half-way through a circular motion. The snake's body flew through the air, heading straight for the wall only to be stopped by a loud _poof!_

Tohru coughed, waving away the smoke in concern for the zodiac, calling out his name. "Ayame? Are you OK?"

The smoke cleared and Ayame stood in all his glory, having changed back. He straightened his jacket, swished his wet hair and said, "Well there you have it, it was a field mouse after all." He babbled as if nothing had happened, confusing the three onlookers who sighed in resignation.

In her exasperation, a sudden thought cropped up in Tohru's mind as she stepped back, eyeing the patch of water forming underneath Ayame's feet. "Shigure, there's something I meant to ask you a few days ago..." She trailed off, staring at her hands as she flexed her fingers. "How did I return back to my normal size?"

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>31st May 2015

**Words: **537


	87. Kindness is a Burden

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 87: Kindness is a Burden<strong>

Shigure stared in confusion for a brief moment before his realisation dawned upon him, and he smiled. "When I brought you here we were both still in our shrunken states, that being a side-effect from consuming the corn. But luckily, Yuki had already brewed the last batch of antidotes for the potion as a precaution, so we weren't in any trouble." He settled himself back down in his seat at the table, gesturing for Tohru to do the same. "However, you were unconscious at the time which ended up with us having to feed it to you while you were asleep in order for the antidote to take effect before you woke." He explained.

Tohru nodded meekly. "I see. I guess I ought to thank you then," she said, bowing her head.

Shigure reached across the table and gently grabbed her chin, raising her head up to face him. "Tohru, there's no need. You've thanked us a lot already."

She giggled. "Yes, I have!" The prophet smiled a genuine smile, leaning back against her chair as she spoke. "Especially to you."

"Yes, you are too kind for your own good, Tohru." Ayame added as he rested a hand on his hip, staring her dead in the eyes and surprising the lot of them with his stance. "Just be careful who you give your kindness to, dear, otherwise it will backfire on you in the worst possible way." He spoke with a serious tone. "Now, if you'll excuse, I'm going to get changed," he sauntered off without a look back, leaving a shallow trail of water behind in his wake.

"...That was unexpected." Yuki mumbled to himself, taking the seat across from Tohru.

"Ayame has his moments." Shigure said as he scratched his head wearily before folding his arms behind his head. "He has a keen eye, but he speaks of his intuitions with a blunt seriousness that not even _I _can match." He revealed, frowning at the snake's abrupt departure.

"I'm sure Ayame is just looking out for me. I know he means nothing by it," she reassured them, fidgeting shyly in her seat.

Yuki drew his attention to the table, noticing the tea stains caused by his brother's so-called act of comfort from when he had leapt across the table to Tohru's unwanted aid. His onyx orbs trailed across the path of destruction that was the table towards the kitchen floor, settling his gaze on the patches of water caused by their sudden excursion to the sink. The rat laughed silently to himself. "For one with great intuition, he sure does leave quite a mess in his path."

After a stagnant pause, the three of them burst into a fit of laughter, with Shigure wiping tears from his eyes from the rat's precise comment. Their loud reception brought the curious snake back into the room, dressed in a clean set of clothes with a pink and white towel wrapped around his damp silver locks. He eyed the trio with a drowsy look, knowing he'd be hearing their laughter till the beginning of the night. Ayame stifled a yawn.

He just wished he knew what was so funny.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **527


	88. Shisen's Run

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 88: Shisen's Run<strong>

The day passed by in a flurry of colours, with the light soon turning to darkness as the sun and moon swapped positions, moving parallel to each other like a pair of graceful dancers. The moon's rays basked against the night's sky, casting an eerie glow upon the ground below.

Hundreds of miles away, a black presence darted through the whitened glow of the moon, flitting back and forth between the light and dark rays of the surroundings with a precise jolt. The being carried a roll of parchment around it's neck, fastened to a white collar. The being was almost upon it's destination, setting it's sights on the darkened vision of the palace in front, belonging to none other than the Red Queen.

The being was Shisen, Shigure's most trusted hound who had been sent to deliver a letter to the witch. His grey coat rippled with each step while he ran, appearing fatigued beneath the darkened sky. He had been running nonstop for two days, having no chance to stop to lap up any water from ponds created by rainfall. The letter was too urgent for that.

The dog slowed his run down into a trot as he climbed to the top of an embankment, chest heaving for strained breaths while a line of saliva dripped down his muzzle. Shisen shook his fur, giving his nose a quick lick before leaping off the bank, bolting through the trees and hopping over a side-hedge surrounding the inner castle.

As soon as his paws touched the ground he threw himself forward with a grunt, skirting through a short-cut to avoid the puzzling garden maze. His scruffy ears twitched at a foreign sound, hearing the rough voices of a pair of castle guards moving along the path –a path that led straight towards him.

The dog edged himself down into a barrel roll, crawling through the nearby foliage of a bush to wait out the guards. Their heavy footsteps thumped across the path as the glow of their torches hummed in the night, hearing their nearing footsteps soon grow quiet as they passed.

Shisen broke free from his hiding spot and hurried towards the castle, keeping low to the ground as he ran. His paws scrapped across the gravelled path, following the route straight towards the front entrance. Two guards stood before it, blocking his way.

The hound released a low growl. Jaded red eyes met with the hardened gazes of the guards up front before he burst into action, bolting forward with the little energy he had left as he barrelled through the guards, pushing himself along with them through the oak wood doors.

"I-INTRUDER!" One of them yelled, back-handing the dog from his chest with a hard slap.

Shisen collided with the corridor wall, causing a painful whine to leave his mouth. The guards stumbled to their feet while Shisen scrambled to do the same, bounding away through the vast hallways as he took a sharp left turn, hurtling towards the throne room.

In a matter of seconds the dog found himself bursting through the doors, skidding across the polished floor. But before the dog could move, clusters of spears were suddenly thrust at his face, trapping him in a circle of sharp points. His tail curled down as he cowered to the ground, growling as his eyes settled on the spear pointed directly at his face.

A sharp grunt sounded from behind him so he spun, barking at the sight of one of the spears moving towards him at a quick speed, aiming right for his beating heart.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **600


	89. The Red Queen

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 89: The Red Queen<strong>

"HALT!" A female's voice cut through the air, stopping the guard right before he pierced through the dog's body. The woman stepped down from her throne, raising a dainty hand to signal the guards to stand down. Her thick skirts billowed out as she walked, adorning her thin frame with bloody reds and pure whites –a combination that didn't suit her. A ghost of a smile pulled at her features, contrasting against her ghastly pale complexion.

Shisen straightened his posture as soon as the guards moved back, meeting her blackened eyes with a hardened stare.

"Hmph. Shigure's _mutt_, I see." The Red Queen snivelled, adjusting the blackened crown perched amongst the strands of her lifeless black hair. The tips didn't even reach her shoulders, resembling Hatori's cut more than anything, but minus the fringe.

Shisen huffed impatiently.

"Akito-sama-"

The Queen snapped her head towards the guard who had spoken, causing a cold sweat to break out across his skin. "That's _Your Highness _to you." She snapped.

The guard flinched at her tone and took a step back. "Y-Yes, I apologise, Your Highness." He bowed deeply, not daring to meet her stoned gaze. "I believe the hound has a letter that needs your attention."

Akito nodded solemnly, drawing her gaze to Shisen. "Come here," she commanded, jabbing a finger at the floor beside her. He reluctantly moved towards her, plonking himself down in front of her. Shisen tilted his head to the side to give her access to the parchment which she ripped from his collar, damaging the buckle holding the white fabric together.

The Queen peeled away the red stamp from the letter and unrolled it, scanning the brief contents with narrowed eyes.

_'My Red Queen,_

She _has arrived. One stamp has been collected. The cat is close._

_From your Loyal Dog.'_

"Guards!" She suddenly barked, crumpling the letter as her hands tightened into fists. "Fetch the counsel members right away!" She yelled, watching them scurry off to fulfil her orders.

Not long after, a group of old fogies, presumably the council members, filed into the throne room and sat themselves down on the pews presented to them, forming two rows amongst themselves. The Queen retreated back to her throne as the oldest-looking member of the group stood, clasping his frail hands beneath his sleeves as he bowed.

"My Queen, how may we help you?" He asked, speaking for the whole of them.

Akito crinkled the already crumpled paper before ripping it down the middle, discarding its contents into the burning torch beside her throne. "I want to push up the date of the croquet game," she said, ignoring the counsel's shocked gasps. "I've grown tired of waiting."

"B-But Your Majesty! That's impossible, we've already sent out all the invitations!" The head councilman exclaimed. "We can't!"

"BUT I AM THE QUEEN!" She shouted, slamming her fist down on the arm of her throne. "My orders are absolute! Why must I listen to a bag of bones like you? _I _rule this kingdom, not you! Do you not understand my predicament? _The prophet _has arrived in Wonderland and has already collected her first stamp!"

The elder blanked. "T-The prophet!?"

"Yes." Akito growled. "So if you wish to keep your job, then push the croquet date up. We can shorten her stamp collecting time by half, otherwise she'll be a nuisance." She muttered, snapping her fingers. Shisen jumped at the sound, giving her his full attention. "Go back to your master." She snarled venomously.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **582

**Symm: **And so the Red Queen finally presents herself. But poor Shisen ran for two days straight and wasn't even given a bowl of water to replenish himself with, plus he now has to return back to Shigure within the same time limit. How cruel.


	90. Death Plans

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 90: Death Plans<strong>

The dog fled with his tail between his legs and exited the throne room as quickly as he entered, leaving a trail of muddy paw prints behind.

Akito stared at them distastefully, flipping her hair back out of boredom.

The elder councilman shivered from the weight of her overbearing presence, lowering his voice while he conversed with his fellow council members in hushed tones and hand gestures. After a few more minutes of conversing, the councilmen reverted back to their serious expressions and swivelled in their seats, leaving it to the elder to give her the bad news.

"...Your Majesty." He gulped, feeling his hands tremble as the fear overtook his system.

Akito yawned, examining her nails with a dead stare. "Yes?"

The elder paled. "W-We have come to a verdict." He stuttered, forcing back a breath while clutching his long sleeves tightly. "We deny your request of pushing the date up." He spoke quickly, hurrying on before she could interrupt. "I-It is because the invites have already been sent out to all the Zodiacs and other important members of society, and we believe that it would take more time to revoke the previous invitations by sending out the altered ones for the new date you wish to set it to. It is i-impossible, my Queen."

Akito ground her teeth as she felt the anger bubble up inside her, clenching her fists at their decision. As the Queen, she should have the right to have power over anything and anyone she wishes, so why were the council able to overwrite her commands? She didn't become Queen so this could happen! She became Queen for the _power! _Not for the responsibility. Her eyes darkened as she thought in silence, leaving the elder to stand frozen in his spot while he waited for her answer.

Her face contorted into a sinister smile as a new thought came into mind, creating darkened hues across her narrow cheekbones. "...Fine." She said breezily, surprising them with her controlled anger. "Then how about this." She mused, resting a finger under her chin. "Why don't we kill her instead? It's a much simpler idea than the first. This way, we won't have to worry about her taking my enthronement out from under my feet, and we won't have to deal with the stamp collecting since she'll be _dead!_" She cackled, throwing her head back with a grin. _And I'll order the guards to kill that dratted cat along with her! That'll show him for refusing my coronation. _She hummed, dusting off her hands. _I'll be killing two birds with one stone._

"Y-Your Highness, it's a bit of a bold move, don't you think?" The elder worried. "What if the Zodiacs find out? We'll have a revolt on our hands if that happens!" He cried while the other council members nodding in agreement.

"I intend for them to find out. It will act as a proof of my power, and once they see it they won't _dare _to go against me. _I _have the power, the authority to rule." She babbled on.

The elder slumped into his seat, hunching forward in disbelief. "Then what do you intend to do?"

The Queen paused before meeting his gaze. "If she won't come to me, then I shall go to her. Ready the guards!"

"Y-Yes my Queen."

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **575


	91. Lost

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 91: Lost<strong>

Meanwhile, in another place two figures stood lost within a corn field, having been travelling for two days without any food or water with their energy sapped and their minds weak from exhaustion. In their shrunken states, the pair of animals hadn't stood a chance against the oversized foliage surrounding them and their tiny legs.

Kyo sighed heavily, flicking his ears back and forth. "I can't take this anymore."

Fen stopped a few feet behind him. "I know what you're thinking, but we have to hold out a little longer. Tohru can't be dead." He spoke what was presumably in the cat's thoughts, staring up at the night sky. There wasn't a star in sight.

"Don't mention her name," Kyo grumbled, leaning wearily against a plant. His feet were numb from walking. "She couldn't have survived the fall, not from that height." He protested sourly.

"Kyo. Listen to me," Fen grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "Tohru. Isn't. _Dead._" He strained.

The cat batted his wing away, ruffling the bird's haggard feathers with a hiss. "Don't touch me!" He growled loudly, arching his back and hind legs in warning. "I don't want to hear this anymore!"

"J-Just think about it!" Fen cried desperately. "We've been walking for two days, Kyo. We haven't found her body, even though we've practically searched the whole field! She _is _alive. The Mad Hatter must have found her!"

Kyo scowled as he hacked at the ground, shredding through the wiry grass with his claws. "We can't rely on Shigure for such a thing. He's too self-centred. Always has been." He grimaced, swishing his tail to the side.

Fen scoffed. "It's better than some stranger finding her-"

"Shut up." Kyo suddenly whispered in a low voice, lowering himself into a crouch.

"What!"

"_Shush!_" He hissed through clenched teeth. His orange ears rotated in a clockwise motion, twitching as a new sound filtered through them. "...Something's coming."

Fen hopped towards him, resting his own ears against the ground as he listened out for any tremors in the earth. "How big is it?"

Kyo paused, narrowing his eyes. "Big. _R__eally_ big." He replied, staring wildly at the crops behind them. "...It's right behind us."

Fen cursed, hurriedly picking himself up from the ground as he stood in defensive crouch beside the cat, letting his tail feathers sink to the ground out of fear for the unexpected. "Should we run?" He inquired nervously, body tense with anticipation.

The zodiac shook his head. "Not yet, we need to see what it is first," Kyo tentatively sniffed the air, grasping on to the familiar aroma with his sharpened senses. "It smells...like something I've smelt before. I just can't place it-"

"It's coming!" Fen gasped as he huddled even closer until their shoulders were touching, drawing the cat's attention to the quivering foliage.

The plants waved from side to side, knocking against each other from the force of the creature's heavy footsteps as it neared. The leaves rustled with a passing wind, picking up the dirt along with it as it blew towards the waiting animals, blinding them momentarily while the creature advanced towards them.

Kyo blinked rapidly after the wind died down, watching through watery eyes as a brown paw emerged through the brush. He bit back a curse as his feline eyes travelled up the ginormous furry leg towards his owner. Realisation hit him.

"...We're smaller than I thought."

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **600


	92. Just Run!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 92: Just Run!<strong>

The dog moved towards them, scenting the air with it's large nose. It's wild eyes glowed in the night and settled on their forms, taking another whiff. Saliva dripped repulsively from it's mouth, running down his copper-coloured jaw. The dog stalked towards them while Kyo and Fen took a step back, staring up at it's huge form as it towered over them.

They wouldn't stand a chance.

"Fen. Run." Kyo whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the dog in front.

Fen froze. "W-Wha-at!?" He squawked out of disbelief, looking at his with his beak hanging open. "W-What do you mean!"

"Now is not the time to play deaf, bird brain!" Kyo spat, struggling to keep his voice low. The dog leaned forward, casting a curious look over the two as it's ears flickered towards the sound of their voices. "Just run!" Kyo tried again.

Fen threw him a glare, cheeks reddening with anger. How could he insult him at such a time!? They were about to die!

"NOW, damn it!" He yelled before taking off on his own, leaving the frozen bird to defend for himself. He made quick work of his escape, throwing his energy reserves into his four limbs as he charged through the plants and ran blindly through the night.

His breaths came out in ragged pants and his ears shuddered as they strained for sound, picking up on the sharp blow as it cut through the air. Fen swooped down beside him, gliding while Kyo ran.

"You left me you ginger cat!"

"Not my fault!" He yelled. "I told you _twice _to run!"

"That's unfair!" Fen bit back, picking up his pace.

A howl rose through the air and pierced through their systems as the dog crashed through the foliage behind them, tailing them with ease.

Kyo cursed and sped up his speed, building up a sweat as he ran blindly. _Why hasn't it caught us yet._ He yelled internally, daring a glance back. He released a frustrated cry. It could have caught them in a matter of seconds, so what was it waiting for? Toying with them?

He hated it.

The dog wasn't even trying.

Kyo skirted off to the right with Fen quickly following suit, brushing past a cluster of corn plants with the hound breezing behind them. It bolted forward, letting out a warning growl as it matched their speed without a break in it's breathing pattern, pushing them away from their alternative escape as it drove them back the other way.

"What's it trying to do?" Fen gasped, dipping slightly.

Kyo sped up, hearing his heart pound in his ears. "I-I think it's herding us." He said just as they broke out from the field, surprised at how quickly they had exited the maze of plants. Kyo looked back, frozen in his spot while his breath heaved for breath.

The dog was gone.

Fen dropped to the ground, collapsing against the cool dirt out of relief of the disappearance of the dog. "Thank Kami," he sucked in a breath, rolling onto his back. "I didn't think the dog would give up."

Kyo shook his head. The whole incident felt too suspicious. "This doesn't feel right." He said, scanning their surroundings. "Where did it disappear to?"

The only thing in their sight was a traditional Japanese-styled house which stood silently before them with the windows blacked out for the night. Everything was quiet.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **590


	93. Antidote

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 93: Antidote<strong>

"That must be Shigure's house. Come on," Kyo breathed, drawing the tired bird to his feet.

"Wait," the bird gasped as he bumped against something, blinking in confusion. He ran his wing across the cylinder-shaped item, ignoring the throbbing in his foot from the collision. "What's this?"

Kyo looked back and glanced down, following the bird's gaze towards the object. It resembled some sort of vile and was filled with a purple solution. The cat prowled around it for any clues on what it was, and when he investigated the other side of it he stopped, resting a paw against the glass covering. "Here."

Fen moved to stand beside him, leaning closer to the thick, cursive writing covering the vial. "_'Antidote',_" he read aloud, facing Kyo. "For what?"

He frowned. "...Let's drink it and find out." He moved towards the front of it before extending his claws and digging them into the sponge of the cork sealing it.

Fen grimaced. "I-I don't think that's a good idea-"

The loud 'pop' of the cork pulling free heightened his worries as Kyo threw it behind him and shoved his head through the hole, submerging his face into the liquid as he took a deep gulp. He pulled himself out and shook his fur, hearing Fen sigh before he did the same and took a sip before the liquid streamed out.

A bright light engulfed them both before they could think, filling their sight with a white gleam before it suddenly vanished. Kyo blinked and rubbed his eyes with his hands.

Wait. His _hands?_

The zodiac brought them up to his face and gasped, finding the orange fur to have vanished. His grinned and looked up at the sky in hidden surprise.

"Kyo." Fen's voice came from below.

"Huh?" He looked down. He froze. "Why are you so small, chicken?"

"Don't call me that!" He snapped. "And I'm not _that _small! We've grown back to our normal sizes it seems."

Kyo stared at the scenery around them, finding himself much more taller than the corn plants. "...Oh, you're right," he transferred his gaze to the house. "Let's go," he grabbed the bird by his tail feathers and slung him over his shoulder.

However one thing played on his mind. Had someone left the antidote there or was it just a simple coincidence?

"Tohru should be inside." The bird whispered into his ear, sending a chill down his spine as he moved towards the house.

"I told you not to mention her name." He shot back, annoyed with the eagle's constant faith in the girl. But who was he kidding? _He _was the one who was supposed to believe in her, to think that she was still alive. But why was it so painful? Every time he thought of her it brought a pain to his chest. He didn't understand. Kyo flicked the bird in the head before darting towards the house, stopping outside the door.

The cat fiddled with the lock, jolting the worn mechanisms inside until it clicked. "Bingo." He curled his fingers around the door and quietly slid it open, tiptoeing inside. The floorboards creaked as he fumbled through the dark, searching for a light switch along the wall. His leg bumped into a table and he cursed at the sound of an object rocking, shooting his hands out in an attempt to stop it from falling; but it was too late.

It crashed to the ground with a loud bang.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>6th June 2015

**Words: **596


	94. What Goes Bump in the Night

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 94: What Goes Bump in the Night<strong>

Tohru woke to a loud crash, jolting up from her pillows out of reflex. She blinked a few times, giving herself a moment to truly wake up as she stared out the window sitting directly opposite her bed. It was still dark out.

"That sounded like it came from downstairs." She whispered hoarsely, clearing her throat while she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. _Intruders?_ She thought carelessly, not seeming too bothered by the thought while her mind was still in dream land. _Or maybe Shigure's still awake. He might have bumped into something._

Tohru yawned and slowly crawled across the covers to slide her legs over the edge of the bed, wiggling her toes at the cool temperature as she blindly searched for her slippers. Her feet slipped into the pair of fluffy shoes, them being the thing that she had allowed Ayame to make for her.

"So nice," she giggled softly, giving them another wiggle. The prophet tiptoed across the room and opened her door, casting a quick glance left and right to check if the coast was clear.

"Tohru? Was that you?" Ayame surprised her as he emerged from the darkened hallway, covering his mouth as he yawned. "Did you drop something?" He asked drowsily.

Tohru shook her head. "I was about to go look downstairs."

Ayame snapped awake at her words. "O-On your own!? What if they're burglars!" He exclaimed, grasping her hand. "Wait, I'll come with you!" He suddenly vanished, only to return moments later with an umbrella in his hand.

Tohru blanked. "What's that for?" She whispered wearily, releasing another yawn. "Are we going outside? Or, _wait_..." She paused. "...Is it raining outside?"

Ayame chuckled into his sleeve, ruffling her bed hair. "No, it's for self defense, silly. You're still half asleep aren't you?" He laughed as she blinked, staring intensely at the black umbrella.

"Am I still dreaming?"

The snake sighed, slinging the 'weapon' over his shoulder. "Come on, I'll go first." He gently grasped her hand before slowly leading her towards the direction of the stairs.

Tohru went along willingly, knowing it would have taken her double the time it took them to reach the top of the stairs; her eyesight was practically useless in the dark. "Do you think it's Shigure?" She asked, pulling them both to a halt before they ventured down the stairs.

"He does stay up at ungodly hours." Ayame tapped his chin. "...But dogs are known to have good vision in the dark, so I don't think he'd be careless enough to knock something over."

"Hm," she mumbled, finding herself more awake at this point. "Let's go." She took the lead, dragging the snake down the steps with hurried tugs while she silently crept ahead of him, making sure to keep her steps light.

Someone cursed as they reached the bottom, halting the prophet in her place.

"Take this!" Ayame suddenly yelled and lobbed the umbrella at the person's head just as Tohru slapped her hand over the light switch, wincing at the sound of the solid collision.

"OUCH!" The person yelled, stumbling into the wall as they clutched their head in pain.

The umbrella fell to the floor.

"...Kyo?"

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>11th July 2015

**Words: **533

**Symm: **Chapter 100 will be extra long as a surprise for reaching the hundreds, so keep a look out! ;)

Thanks for reviewing **DemonHeart42, Kateeld!**


	95. Clinging Cats

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 95: Clinging Cats<strong>

The cat cradled his aching head, wondering what sort of idiot would throw an umbrella as a weapon. He scowled at his feet, brushing away the broken shards that once made a vase as if to hide the evidence from those present in the room. _Shig's gonna kill me. _He winced, not looking forward to what punishment he had in store. But as he pushed back his fear, Kyo glared at the culprit angrily, meeting the snake's stoic stare with a growl.

That would be the idiot.

_Bastard!_

"...Kyo?"

His anger immediately died as his eyes drifted towards the owner of the sweet yet chilling voice, ignoring Fen's gasp as he focused his entire being on the person he had sorely missed. _She's alive._

He almost collapsed at the sight.

Her hair lay in mussed curls from sleep, matching her dishevelled look consisting of some wrinkled night clothes and a pair of rumpled bunny slippers. His gaze raised and he met her watery eyes, staring into the depths of the glistening blue that held a pure ounce of surprise for him.

"Tohru?"

Before anyone could blink the prophet was across the room in a shot, tackling the zodiac with a hug as she cried out his name, clutching him tightly. Kyo froze momentarily, feeling the prophet's sobs vibrate against his chest before his transformation suddenly took affect.

_P__oof!_

Tohru hugged him tighter and scratched at the fur behind his ears, not seeming bothered by the sudden change from human to animal.

Kyo heard his heart beat loudly in his ears as he looked helpless at Ayame. _What now? _He thought. He couldn't do much as a cat.

The snake rolled his eyes. _'Hug her', _he mouthed as if it was obvious, wrapping his own arms around an imaginary figure as an example.

Kyo barely pushed away the urge to blush at the snake's embarrassing antics. _Here goes nothing, _he huffed. The zodiac stretched his short furry arms around her neck as far as a cat was able to do, nudging his nose into her hair as he took a subtle whiff of her scent, relishing in what he'd lost.

"Now do you believe she's alive?" Fen whispered.

Kyo hid his face in her hair. "Hmph."

But he was suddenly ripped from his paradise.

"Kyo! You found me!" Tohru held him before her with tears in her eyes, legs dangling and all.

The cat lost his control and blushed. "W-Well, your scent was everywhere! How could I _not _find you."

Fen smacked his head against the wall. _Stupid cat._

Tohru nodded like she understood and giggled. "I'm just glad you found me...But where's Fen?"

The eagle frowned. _Finally. _"Over here!"

Tohru squealed at the sight of him. "Fen! You're OK!" She bent to pick him up, only to reel back at the sudden realisation. "Oh."

"..._Oh?_" Fen repeated, following her gaze to the bulky cast covering her arm. "KAMI! WHAT HAPPENED!?" He squawked.

Tohru smiled in attempt to calm his worries, wiping away her tears. "It's fine!" She giggled. "I broke my arm when I fell, but Shigure saved me!"

Kyo wiggled in her arms, not liking the scent of the bulky cast. "Y-You're so clumsy, always falling and tripping over your own shadow. J-Just be careful from now on!" He yelled.

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>11th July 2015

**Words: **570


	96. Blame

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 96: Blame<strong>

"Aw, the kitty's worried!" Ayame cooed as he moved closer, dodging Kyo's attempted swipe at his face.

"No I'm not you girly snake!" He bit back.

But before the argument could blow up a creak sounded from the stairs, startling the pair into silence. "I see we have visitors." Shigure suddenly appeared as he tread down the stairs, pushing his reading glasses back onto the top of his head as another being followed quietly behind. "Kyo, and...Fen? You took longer than I expected." He smirked, patting the being's head and earning a happy bark in return.

Kyo's jaw dropped at the sight of the hound. "I _knew _it smelt familiar! Your scents crawling all over the damn mutt!" He exclaimed, jumping out from Tohru's hold as he poofed back into his human form.

"I take it you've already met him," Shigure chuckled, running his hand through the dog's fur before saying, "This is Juhi."

"So cute!" Tohru gushed, trembling with excitement. "I didn't know you had a pet, Shigure!"

The zodiac visibly sweat-dropped, having felt her elated vibes from across the room. "Ehe...I'd say he's more like a...friend?" He mused, swapping a meaningful look with Ayame. Shigure brought his levelled gaze towards the newcomers and scanned them up and down briefly, feeling something burn deep inside him. He barely held back his bout of anger at his sudden recollection of Tohru's tale, remembering her words perfectly.

_'...he couldn't hold the both of us; he wasn't strong enough. So I thought, why not me?'_

Shigure turned sour at the thought.

Sensing the dog's growing displeasure, Juhi cowered back a few steps, lowering himself down into a submissive bow with his front paws crossed over and his snout hidden between them.

Things were about to get messy.

Ayame knew this as soon as his eyes clashed with the zodiac's hardened stare, feeling his instincts instantly tighten as the mirth left his eyes.

"You two. Step forward; we need to talk." Shigure's tone left no room for argument. "_Now._"

Kyo narrowed his eyes into slits, holding a fraction of suspicion for what was to come. His legs carried him forward, feeling his back tense as the dog's levelled stare bore holes into his head. Fen, despite being small, held his ground, not taking his eyes off the zodiac. "Talk?" He scowled. "About what?"

Shigure glared back. "About the wrong decisions you made which led to your separation," he glanced at Tohru, watching as Ayame pulled her off to the side. "Or to be exact, the moment you decided to let her go."

"Wait a minute! Don't go pointing fingers you mutt! Fen was the one who dropped her!" He threw the bird straight into Shigure's firing line. "I'm not the one to blame!"

Shigure growled deeply, pulling his lip back as a snarl ripped through his throat. "I'm not just blaming you, _cat._ The bird takes the sole blame," he breathed, struggling to keep the anger he'd been bottling up for so long under control. "And so does Tohru."

* * *

><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>12th July 2015

**Words: **533


	97. Confrontation

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 97: Confrontation<strong>

Kyo blanked. "Tohru?" He questioned, confused. "How is any of this Tohru's fault?"

Shigure stepped closer to the cat, towering over his slender form with an intimidating stance. "The prophet should have made a sensible decision at that time." He scowled, fighting against the rising anger inside of him. "She should have gone with the safest option; and yet she didn't, because look," his tone turned bitter as he pointed in Tohru's direction, ignoring Ayame's frown. "She broke her arm. How, in _any _way, does that scream 'safe'?"

"Shigure-"

Ayame gripped Tohru's hand tightly, stopping her plea before it could upset the dog even more. The prophet bit her lip, catching him shake his head from the corner of her eye.

So she kept her mouth shut.

"Fen," Shigure's voice drew her in as he spoke, "you're an idiot for nearly killing our only hope of survival. To actually drop the _prophet_ from such a life-threatening height; I just can't believe the _stupidity _of your actions!" He barked menacingly, balling his hands into fists at Fen's placid expression. "She's the PROPHET for Kami's sake!" He yelled. "How could you be so inconsiderate!?"

"Hey!" Kyo yelled back. "Birdbrain over here was cornered! Tohru was nice enough to chose for him." He reasoned, raising a hand before the zodiac could interrupt. "And yeah, I'm pissed as hell with her decision too, but what's done is done. It's over!" He threw his hands up in exasperation.

Tohru shivered at the growing tension in the room as she jumped at the volume of their shouts, feeling her bottom lip quiver. "S-Shigure, please calm down." She whispered. "It was my fault. I told Fen to drop me..." She broke off, squeezing Ayame's hand for comfort and support.

Shigure closed his eyes, gritting his teeth at her plea. _Calm down, _he told himself, slowly slumping forward while his hands shook by his sides. He hated this; this feeling of anger. It wasn't him. "...I'm disappointed with you, little prophet." He opened his eyes, meeting her sorrowful gaze. "You're an idiot for trying to sacrifice yourself." He whispered only loud enough for her to hear.

Tohru winced, unintentionally responding to his comment with a hurt gasp.

But Shigure had yet to notice, finding himself occupied as a weak wave of fatigue washed over him; an aftermath from the abrupt release of his anger. The dog wearily massaged his temples, releasing a withered sigh as Tohru moved towards him, shaking off Ayame's hold. The leftover anger seeped from his being at her look. He reached forward and clasped her hands, speaking in a quiet voice. "I expected better from you..."

Tohru's shoulders dropped in deflation. _He's disappointed_. She thought numbly, feeling his mood shift as the tension left his shoulders. _He looks tired. _She frowned, stepping back. _How long has he been holding all this anger..?_

Shigure flexed his hands, keeping his gaze trained on the ground as he rocked his shoulders back and forth in a shrug. "Think about what I've said." He sighed again, leaving them with those last words before retreating to his study with Juhi trailing behind.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>16th July 2015

**Words: **548

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	98. Broken Tables

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 98: Broken Tables<strong>

The mood turned sour after the absence of the dog and hound. Nobody dared to speak in fear of drawing out the tense vibes created by the remaining stagnant anger left behind by the zodiac.

_'Think about what I've said.'_

Shigure's words lingered in Tohru's mind as a bout of hurt splayed across her face, contrasting against the confusion she felt slowly encasing her heart. Shigure had been angry about her near-death experience, having vocalised his concerns pretty loudly before his unregistered departure. But just what made the prophet so special?

Tohru understood what she was supposed to do; solve the 12 zodiac's problems and receive each of their individual stamps in the process in order to return Wonderland to it's original state. But why her? Why was _she _chosen when there were plenty of other reliable people back in her world.

Whether it was due to her coincidental relationship with the Zodiac family or not, she just didn't know. _If only Hatori was here. _She sighed internally, spiking a different memory about the man. _Thinking about it, I still don't have his stamp. But I'm sure he has his reasons for lying._

She was a long way away from completing the stamps, having only Momiji's in her possession. Tohru knew she would need help from Kyo and the others when it was needed in order to find the zodiacs and solve their problems.

The prophet snapped away from her thoughts at the sound of a familiar creek, drawing her attention to the stairs where her gaze locked with a pair of onyx eyes. The owner of the eyes stopped halfway down the stairs, partially revealing themselves in the light.

"What was all the commotion about?" Yuki asked groggily, combing back his bedhead with a pale hand. "I woke up at the sound of Shigure's shouting, but it seems," he peered at them, "that he's not here."

Kyo scoffed, irritated. "I thought I smelt a rat."

Yuki's eyes glowed with a fluorescent lavender hue as he stepped down the remaining stretch of stairs, keeping a safe distance between his self and the snake. "How unpleasant you still are." He mused as his gaze drifted towards Tohru. "Ah, Tohru, I apologize for not noticing you sooner," Yuki said with an ounce of regret, purposely turning his back on the cat with a smug smile, and unintentionally, pulling Tohru into the middle of their spat.

"Shut up rat, don't touch Tohru!" Kyo yelled defensively as he stalked forward, almost stepping on Fen's tail feathers as he moved. "And don't turn 'ya back on me rat, if you've got something to say then say it to my face!" He slapped his hand down on Yuki's shoulder and spun him around, meeting the rat's heated look as he growled.

"Get your filthy hand off me."

"No way!"

"...Don't test me Kyo-"

"Move it yourself-"

"Damn cat!" Yuki snapped as his fist connected with Kyo's chin, pitching him into the air with a solid arc.

Tohru covered her eyes before she could witness his body's descent, hearing the dull thump of Kyo's landing as she peeked through the gaps between her fingers, only to remove them fully at the sight of the broken table. "U-Um, the t-table," she mumbled, covering her mouth with her hand at the shocking display. Ayame patted her shoulder reassuringly, drawing her back as they braced themselves against the wall for cover.

Shigure was going to flip.

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>4th August 2015

**Words: **600

**Symm:** While editing this chapter, I almost mistook vocalised for vocaloid. (¬▂¬) I now have the song LUVORATORRRRRY! stuck in my head. Goddamit Japan. ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

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	99. Cat Vs Rat

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Fruits Basket.

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><p><strong>Chapter 99: Cat Vs Rat<strong>

Kyo jostled himself from beneath the wooden pieces of what used to make a table, sitting forward as his back screamed in pain from the sudden hit. His rough hand rubbed his throbbing jaw, cursing at the rat mentally since he knew it would leave a bruise.

The cat brushed away the splintered remains from his person and stood, staring down at the damaged furniture before him. His body had hit the table directly in the middle, forcing down the flimsy wood from the impact as he'd fallen through, inadvertently severing the table into two halves.

A ball of anger coiled in his stomach at the stabbing pain in his back, expanding further until it consumed his entire being. "Damn rat," he curled his hands into fists before bursting forward into a run, throwing a punch at the rat's face. "You girly-boy!"

Yuki's hand shot forward and wrapped around his fist, using the force from the hit to direct it behind him as he pulled Kyo forward and let go, stepping around him in order to watch the cat tumble face-first to the floor.

Kyo somehow managed to kick out mid-fall, knocking the rat forward before he could land harshly against the panelled floor. "Take that!" He triumphed, only to instantly take it back at the sight of the rat's glare as Yuki locked his hand around Kyo's raised foot and squeezed it tightly, cutting off the blood flow.

"Now you've done it," Yuki hollered before dragging Kyo back into a swoop and throwing him through the shoji door lining the side of the house.

Tohru shrunk back against Ayame, clutching his sleeve fearfully. "W-We have to stop them," she whispered desperately, holding back her panic as she breathed through her nose. "They're going to break the whole house if we don't!"

"There's nothing to worry about my dear Tohru, Shigure will fix everything once he's realised what's making all the loud noise." He patted her head just as Kyo's fist burst through the creased paper of the second door, barely missing Yuki's side as the rat dodged out of the way.

The door caved in on itself from Kyo's forceful kick, falling on top of Yuki's prone form into a heap of broken sticks and burying him underneath it. The cat followed in after it, staring down at the bulk as it rose upwards, revealing Yuki's darkened look as the scraps of torn paper untangled from his hair.

"_You're dead_-"

Ayame left the safety of the wall and picked up the forgotten umbrella before whacking them both over the head. "That's enough now, before you demolish Shigure's house." The snake sighed, pushing the broken door off of Yuki's body so he could stand.

Tohru wearily surveyed the state of the room, feeling a cold chill file in through the giant hole in the wall. _Shigure's going to need a new door_, she frowned, following the splintered trail further in to the area. _And a new table._

"My _house_..."

The prophet whipped around at the sound of Shigure's voice, spotting his head peeking around the corner of the wall. "Ah! Shigure, don't look!" She panicked, tensing on the spot as his expression darkened.

"YOU DAMN BRATS!"

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><p><strong>Posting Date: <strong>4th August 2015

**Words: **562


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